Book Launch

All about Cinnamon

'Systematic Cultivation and Management of Cinnamon', a timely publication authored by A. D. Wijitha K. de Zoysa Jayatilleke of Dassanayake Walauwa Plantation, Nape, Kosgoda, Sri Lanka, was recently launched as a part of the events at the Annual General Meeting of The Sri Lanka Spice Council held at the Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo.

The book deals extensively with systematic cinnamon cultivation from initial stage of land clearing and planting of cinnamon to harvesting. It also provides guidance and practical know-how to develop cultivated cinnamon lands.

The author, a professional planter of cinnamon for over 40 years, has, generously imparted his wealth of knowledge in the field of cinnamon cultivation and practical guidance which is extremely useful for cinnamon planters in general and for Small, Medium and Large, landed proprietor planters in particular.

The principal objective of the publication is to upgrade the quality of cinnamon production and also to enhance productivity of cinnamon lands under Systematic Cultivation and Management. The publication would serve as a practical guide book and also as a knowledge book at field level education on the systematic cultivation of cinnamon. The book contains 26 chapters with facts relating to the cinnamon industry and over 170 photographs. The book written in simple Sinhalese covers the field operational activities of cinnamon and is a result of meticulous research over a period of 3 years.

The author. A. D. Wijitha K. de Zoysa Jayatilleke, Producer Representative of The Sri Lanka Spice Council and a pioneer in the cinnamon plantation, was awarded the internationally certified standard certifications such as GMP Certification, HAACP Certification, ISO: 22000 Certification and FSSC 22000 Standard Certification for designing and introducing the first ever, the state- of-the Art Model Cinnamon Processing Factory of the world. He also, possesses and manages the Model Field Cinnamon Plantation, registered with The Sri Lanka Spice Council and the Model Coconut Plantation intercropped with Pepper, registered with The Sri Lanka Coconut Cultivation Board.

In 2011, he served as a National Expert for The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)'s Project under the Standards and Trade Development Facility of the World Trade Organization, a joint venture with The Sri Lanka Spice Council.

He provided his professional services by conducting workshops to develop and safeguard the cinnamon industry for Small; Medium and Large scale Industrialists; Processors and other stakeholders of Galle; Matara; Kalutara and Ratnapura Districts. A limited number of copies of the book are available for purchase from Dassanayake Walauwa Plantation, Nape, Kosgoda (0777370871).

The author has dedicated the publication to his late father A. D. Percy A. de Zoysa Jayatellike.