Spicing up development assistance to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador and Permanent representative to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) recently highlighted how technical and funding assistance from international agencies such as the WTO, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), International Trade Centre (ITO) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) are important for small economies such as Sri Lanka in sustaining performance in the spices sector in the country. Delivering the keynote address at a briefing session organised by the Standard and Trade Development Facility (STDF) Division of the WTO on June 21, R.D.S. Kumararatne spoke about the uniqueness of Ceylon Cinnamon, known as true cinnamon or queen of spices, as the oldest planting crop in Sri Lanka.

A media release on the keynote address stated that Mr. Kumararatne said Sri Lanka supplies over 80 per cent of world Ceylon Cinnamon requirements. Mexico accounts for over 60 per cent of the market while the rest is made up of markets such as the United States, European Union, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Guatemala. Sri Lanka supplies its cinnamon products to over 70 countries in the world.

He further elaborated on multi-faceted sector development that requires interventions at various levels to achieve targeted social and economic outcomes. Driven by a common vision, “making cinnamon a one-billion-dollar industry”, The Spice Council (TSC) and the government of Sri Lanka received support from the STDF of WTO and UNIDO to analyse the cinnamon value chain and identify the necessary interventions to translate this vision into reality.

According to the release, the project catalysed additional assistance by empowering TSC and creating an enabling environment for a strong public-private partnership. To capitalise on and sustain the results achieved, the project provided the sector with a roadmap that spelt out future action to “make cinnamon a one-billion-dollar industry. CEO of the recently established Ceylon Cinnamon Academy Sarada de Silva outlined the progress on the project and its importance to the industry in the long run to its sustainability and much expanded contribution to the economy.

Project Manager of UNIDOSTDF-TSC project, UNIDO Ali Badarneh made an overall briefing on the project and their positive experience towards improving. Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in the cinnamon industry facilitating the country’s objective of improving market share for Ceylon cinnamon globally and the positive gain in obtaining Geographical Identification (GI) for the product. The media release stated that US$2.13 million has been contributed for the project by STDF, UNIDO and other sources including the government. (NG)