Cloves are dried unopened buds of a tree in the Amily Myrtaceae. Cloves have a strong aromatic flavor. Cloves powerful taste is imparted by the chemicals Eugenol. Cloves stems are dry fragments of the stalks of the clove. Having the same aromatic spicy flavor as cloves buds.
PRODUCTS AND USES
Clove is largely used as dried whole buds. Ground clove is used for curry mixtures and clove oil is used for flavoring foods and in pharmaceutical perfumery industry.
Cloves are used either whole or ground to provide flavor for both sweet and savory foods in pickling and the production of sauces and ketchups. In medicine it is valued as a carminative, aromatic and stimulant. It is being used in cigarette industry as a flavoring agent. Clove oil is used in perfumes, in dentistry and a clearing agent in microscopy.
MAJOR GROWING AREAS
Clove is mainly grown in Mid Country wet zone of Sri Lanka. Total extent of clove is 7618ha. and Kandy, Kegalle and Matale districts are major growing areas.
CLIMATE
Clove grows well in a humid tropical climate from sea level up to 1000m elevation.An average rainfall of 1750- 2500mm. per annum is sufficient. It is however, necessary that dry periods alternate with moist ones for good flowering
The annual average temperature should be 20 o - 30o C without much seasonal and diurnal variation. Persistent strong winds are harmful. Shade is essential during the first two or three years of growth. Thereafter full exposure to light is beneficial.
Cloves Handpicked
This grade of cloves is minimum 99% free from impurity, well sorted manually with less than 10% headless, free from coco-cloves / white cloves and almost no baby cloves.
Cloves Grade 1
This grade is always to be allowed at least 1% of admixture, very less baby cloves, bright in color and percentage of headless is less than 25%. The quality of cloves is as average quality with 3 to 4% admixture, is tolerable and slightly dark / bright in color.
Dried fruit or Cardamom capsule is the commodity of trade. Cardamom can be found as whole cardamom, cardamom seeds and ground form. It is also used in the extraction of oil and oleoresin. Cardamom is mainly used in the food industry as a flavoring agent in curry or meat dishes, sweets, confectionaries, in bakery products, and as an ingredient of curry (masala) powder. Cardamom Oil is used for flavoring of beverages and drinks such as coffee and tea.
It is also used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine as a powerful aromatic, stimulant, carminative, stomachic, and diuretic.
Harvesting
Cardamom starts to bear at the 3rd year after planting. Cropping season is September to January. Capsules are picked before they are fully ripen and clipped off using scissors. Harvesting is done at 3 to 6 week intervals for around 03 months. Harvested capsules are washed with water to remove dirt and borer attacked capsules. Capsules should be well drained and dip in a 2% solution of sodium carbonate (washing soda) for 10-15 minutes which may help to retain the green color.
Processing
Drying is done in hot air barns known as Green curing. Capsules are spread on shallow wire mesh bottomed trays and placed on shelves in the chamber at 45- 50 °C. Drying process will be over in about 35- 40 hours in curing chamber. The trays may be racked over and their position interchanged every 10 12 hours.
After drying, capsules should be rubbed on wire mesh to remove stalks and then should be winnowed. Final product is stored away from strong sunlight and in black polythene sacks to preserve the color.
Dried yield around 60kg /ha. But under good management 250 kg / ha.
Mainly Ceylon Cinnamon is categorised into 4 major grades, They are Alba, Continental, Mexican and Hamburg. This is based on the diameter of the cinnamon sticks(quills), Most expensive grade is Alba. It is a 6 mm diameter quill.
Alba Cinnamon
Alba Cinnamon is considered as the highest grade of Ceylon cinnamon that is available in the cinnamon market. Since it is prepared by taking the finest and thin inner bark of Ceylon cinnamon tree, in nature, this grade of cinnamon is very rare, and at the same time provides top quality taste of Ceylon cinnamon. Accordingly, Alba Cinnamon grade has a top price in the market due to these unique characteristics.
Alba Cinnamon comes to the market in the form of sticks as well as powder. In general, the diameter size of an Alba Cinnamon stick varies between 6 mm to 7 mm (closer to the size of a pencil). Furthermore, this cinnamon grade is very light golden-brown in terms of its color.
C5 Special
C5 Special is another high-quality cinnamon grade which is available in Sri Lanka. In fact, it can be recognized as the second highest quality cinnamon grade (which is only second to Alba Cinnamon). Similar to Alba Cinnamon, C5 Special is also famous for its character, taste, smell and excellent flavor. Moreover, this grade of Ceylon cinnamon is very much popular in the European market. In terms of the size, the diameter of C5 Special varies between 7 mm to 9 mm.
C5
Following C5 Special cinnamon grade, C5 comes as the third highest quality cinnamon type which is available in Sri Lanka. Being smooth and slender in appearance, C5 grade of cinnamon is sweet in taste and deep yellow in color. As far as the size of the diameter is concerned, it varies between 10 mm to 12 mm.
C4
C4 is another cinnamon grade which falls under Continental cinnamon category. Compared to C5 Special and C5, the quality of C4 is quite low. Nevertheless, it is also popular and in demand for its smoothness exquisite fragrance, pale yellow color, and sweet taste. When it comes to the diameter size of C4 cinnamon grade, it varies from 13 mm to 14 mm.
M5
Out of the Mexican cinnamon grades, M5 grade can be identified as best quality of cinnamon, the sticks of which are golden brown (or with slightly reddish color patches on the surface of the quills) and thinner in appearance. Further, it is relatively rough and coarse in texture. In terms of the diameter size of M5 cinnamon grade, it varies from 16 mm to 18 mm.
M4
In nature, M4 cinnamon grade is very much similar to M5 cinnamon grade and mainly differs from the latter in terms of the diameter size which is usually lies between 18 mm to 20 mm. Due to its pleasant smell and taste, it is highly popular in Mexico and European countries.
