Agriculture Ministery launched a pilot project on cinnamon cultivation in the state by planting saplings in the field of a progressive farmer at Kholin village in Una .Other scientists and staff of the CSIR-IHBT and the Department of Agriculture, besides progressive farmers of the region were present at the time of plantation. A CSIR-IHBT team trained farmers on cinnamon cultivation and established a cinnamon demonstration plot.

This project has been conceived by the CSIRIHBT and is being implemented in association with the ICAR-Indian Institute of Spice Research, Calicut, Kerala, and the Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh.

Cinnamon, popularly known as “dalchini”, is an evergreen bushy plant whose bark and leaves have a sweet-spicy aroma. Besides its culinary usage, it has important medicinal applications. Data suggested that the districts of Una, Bilaspur, Kangra, Hamirpur and Sirmaur have potential areas for its cultivation. Notably, there is no organised cultivation and processing of cinnamon in the country