Cinnamon: Lanka to meet global standard
Pure Ceylon Cinnamon campaign:
Geneva: Improving the capacity of traders to meet food safety and
hygiene standards can help to boost exports and improve competitiveness,
participants were told at a seminar on Sri Lanka's cinnamon industry at
the WTO's headquarters on June 21.
It was organized by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF)
- a WTO-supported program - and the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO).
The STDF is a global partnership established by the WTO and four
other international organizations - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), World Bank and World Health
Organization (WHO) - to help exporters of agricultural goods improve
their ability to meet international food safety and hygiene standards.
The STDF is working on a project to strengthen Sri Lanka's capacity
in this area and to increase its competitiveness in the global market in
partnership with UNIDO.
Sri Lanka's Ambassador, R. D. S. Kumararatne said, "Sri Lanka is
known as the Spice Island. It was historically attractive to merchants
from the Middle East and Western nations due to its richness in spices,
and Ceylon Cinnamon is the most important spice commodity in the spice
sector."
However, the country's cinnamon exports have been declining, he said,
largely due to the country's lack of capacity to meet the sophisticated
needs of buyers and high food safety standards.
The joint STDF-UNIDO project is helping cinnamon producers in Sri
Lanka overcome trading constraints by formulating national standards and
a curriculum for vocational training.
The STDF and its partners have also supported the setting up of a
Cinnamon Training Academy for cinnamon processors.
"The project has really improved the conditions of families involved
in the cinnamon industry," said Sarada de Silva, Managing Director of
the Cinnamon Training Academy.
With the help of the WTO, Sri Lanka has also started work on
registering 'Pure Ceylon Cinnamon' as a 'geographical indication' in the
European markets as a means of giving greater value to high-quality
Ceylon Cinnamon.
Deputy Director-General David Shark said, "The STDF is an excellent
example of an Aid-for-Trade partnership on strengthening sanitary and
phytosanitary capacity to help developing countries gain and maintain
market access."
Since its creation in 2004, the STDF has delivered 150 projects to
help developing countries improve their SPS capacity and promote safe
trade in food and agricultural products.
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