Cinnamon Farming in India 2026
Sweet aromatic bark from a hardy small tree of the lower Western Ghats.
Overview
Cinnamon is the dried inner bark of trees of the Cinnamomum group, and the true cinnamon, Cinnamomum verum, gives the prized thin, sweet quills. In India it is grown mainly in the lower elevations of the Western Ghats in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, often in homestead gardens and as an intercrop. It is a hardy evergreen that can be grown as a low bush and coppiced, meaning shoots are cut back regularly so new bark can be harvested, which makes it less demanding than tall tree spices. Besides the bark quills, the leaves yield cinnamon leaf oil and the crop also gives tejpat type leaves in some species, so several products can be sold. Cinnamon is relatively easy to manage, suits small holdings and can be a useful additional income crop, though Indian quills compete in the market with imports from Sri Lanka and cassia from elsewhere.
Climate
Cinnamon needs a warm, humid tropical climate with temperatures roughly between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius and rainfall of about 1500 to 2500 millimetres. It grows well from sea level up to around 1000 metres in the lower Western Ghats. It is fairly tolerant and can grow in the open or in partial shade, but does best with steady moisture and warm conditions, and dislikes frost and prolonged drought.
Soil
Cinnamon grows on a wide range of soils but does best on well drained sandy loams to lateritic loams rich in organic matter, with a slightly acidic pH of about 4.5 to 7. It can tolerate somewhat poor soils better than many spices, which is one reason it suits marginal lands and homestead borders, but good drainage and organic matter improve bark quality and yield.
Planting & Spacing
Cinnamon is grown from seedlings raised from fresh seed in nurseries, or from cuttings and air layers of good types. Seedlings are planted in pits during the monsoon at spacing of about 2 to 3 metres for a coppiced bush system, or wider for tree systems. For bark production the plants are cut back close to the ground after two to three years so that several straight shoots grow up, and these shoots provide the bark for peeling.
Varieties
True cinnamon, Cinnamomum verum, gives the best quality thin sweet quills and is the preferred type. IISR has released improved high yielding varieties such as Navashree and Nithyashree, selected for good bark yield and quality. Cassia, from related species, is coarser and cheaper. Choosing true cinnamon planting material of a good released variety is important for fetching premium prices.
Care & Management
Cinnamon is low maintenance compared with many spices. It needs weeding in the early years, occasional manuring, and regular coppicing to keep producing harvestable shoots. Watering helps in dry spells but established plants are fairly drought tolerant. Keeping the bush at a manageable height and removing weak or crooked shoots improves the quality of the harvestable straight stems.
Pests & Diseases
Cinnamon is relatively pest tolerant but can suffer from leaf spot and pink disease in humid conditions, and from the cinnamon butterfly whose caterpillars eat the tender leaves. Shoot borers and bark eating insects occasionally cause damage. Management relies on healthy planting, good drainage, removal of affected shoots and hand picking or simple integrated control of caterpillars rather than heavy spraying.
Yield & Harvest
Bark is harvested from straight shoots of about two to three years old, usually after the rains when the bark peels easily. The shoots are cut, the outer rough bark is scraped, and the inner bark is peeled in long strips that curl on drying into quills. The peels are dried in shade and then sun until they form the familiar rolled quills. Reported yields of dry quills are modest, often in the range of tens to a few hundred kilograms per hectare depending on system and age, with leaves giving additional oil.
Cost & Profit
Cinnamon gives moderate but steady returns, with dry quill prices commonly in the range of a few hundred rupees per kilogram, varying with quality and whether it is true cinnamon or cassia. Because the crop is low input, hardy and gives bark plus leaf oil, even modest yields can be worthwhile on small or marginal land. Use these figures as a guide and check current market prices before scaling up.
These are indicative ranges. Actual cost and income vary by region, market and management, so verify locally.
Market & Demand
Cinnamon quills are sold to spice traders, while the leaves can be distilled for cinnamon leaf oil, giving two income streams. True cinnamon with thin, sweet, well rolled quills earns more than coarse cassia. Clean processing, good rolling and proper drying improve grade, and value addition through oil distillation can raise overall returns for organised growers.
Subsidy & Support
Cinnamon can benefit from Spices Board and horticulture support for tree and bark spices, including quality planting material and processing or distillation assistance in eligible Western Ghats states. State horticulture missions in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka may assist with seedlings. Check current programmes and subsidy details with the Spices Board and your state department.
Where to grow it in India
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between true cinnamon and cassia?
What is coppicing in cinnamon?
Is cinnamon easy to grow?
What products can cinnamon give besides bark?
When can cinnamon bark first be harvested?
Want help to start or connect with farmers growing this?
Ask the community Join the Sangh