Sri Lanka’s EDB to assist cinnamon industry obtain Geographical Indication for Ceylon Cinnamon
The Export Development Board (EDB) of Sri Lanka has reportedly decided to assist the country’s cinnamon exporters overcome the challenges posed by global competitors by helping them obtain Geographical Indication (GI) for Ceylon Cinnamon within the European Union (EU).
The local media has reported that while Sri Lanka is the leading exporter of true cinnamon to the world and holds almost 80% of the global pure cinnamon market, the exporters of Ceylon Cinnamon to the world market, particularly within the and North American markets, are facing rising competition from substitutes such as Cassia and other varieties of cinnamon supplied by Madagascar and the Seychelles.
Accordingly, the EDB has also worked in coordination with UNIDO and relevant government and private sector stakeholders such as the Department of Export Agriculture, the Spice Council, and the Spices and Allied Products Producers and Traders Association to meet the technical requirements to obtain GI in the EU.
The local media has reported that the EDB has finalized Ceylon Cinnamon specifications for cinnamon products in concurrence with the stakeholders of the cinnamon industry.
The product specifications included in the GI document need to be implemented and practiced throughout the supply chain by growers, processors, traders, and exporters to become eligible to obtain the membership of the Ceylon Cinnamon Geographic Indication Association (CCGIA), which has been established to hold the ownership of Ceylon Cinnamon GI.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s EDB is engaged in many programmes to uplift the country’s export sector through the introduction of modern methods and diversification. It also explores new avenues to reap the maximum benefits from Sri Lanka’s free trade agreements and trade concessions from foreign countries. Receiving GI for Ceylon Cinnamon by the EU would help boost cinnamon exports to the EU and other countries. Foreign businesses/investors could explore business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s exports sector and look at forming partnerships with local export companies.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/24062019/Z_1 |