CEYLONAL PRODUCTS PVT LTD

CEYLONAL PRODUCTS (PVT) LTD is a reliable processor, exporter and a supplier of quality spices and herbs for the international and local markets who already has earned 15 years’ experiences in the spice and herbs processing field. It is linked with the devoted farmer producers who provide spices and herbs grown under the strict health and quality standards.

The processing plant of CEYLONAL PRODUCTS (PVT) LTD is located in Matale district which is immensely popular land for fresh and quality spices of Sri Lanka.

While being a responsible processor who focuses the environmental sustainability, its leading purpose is to provide quality products to the consumers around the world.

Pepper is the most widely used spice in the world and known as “King of the Spices”. Pepper crop is native to South Asia and historical records reveal that pepper is originated in South India. Peppercorns were a much-prized trade good often referred to also as “black gold” and used by as a form of commodity money. Until well after the Middle age, virtually all of the black pepper found in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa traveled there from India’s Malabar region. It was some part of the preciousness of these spices that led to the European efforts to find a sea route to India and consequently to the European Colonial occupation of the country as well as European discovery and colonization of America/s. Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Brazil are the main pepper producers in the world.

White pepper works best for those suffering from loss of appetite as it enhances appetite and promotes healthy gout. The spice helps to get rid of secretions from airways. It is also used to treat constipation as it supports large intestine peristalsis and accelerates metabolism. It has anti-inflammatory effect and also freshens breath. It enhances the immune system and tones the overall body. It purifies the body from harmful toxins and promotes circulation. The regular intake of white pepper protects from various cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Monisha goes on to say, '' White pepper helps in preventing cancer by preventing formation of free radicals. It also aids in weight loss due to the presence of capsaicin, that burns fat in the body.''

The clove tree is a medium sized symmetrically shaped tree with smooth grey bark canopy has a cone shape. Fully matured trees grows upto 15 -20m. It is believed to be originated in Maluku Islands in Indonesia. Clove along with nutmeg and pepper were highly prized in Roman Era. Cloves were traded by Arabs in the Middle ages but in the 15th century Portugal took over the trade. The Portuguese brought large quantities of cloves to Europe mainly from Malku Islands and valued it at seven grams of gold per kg. Later the Spanish then the Dutch dominated the trade till the seventeenth century. The French introduced clove to Mauritius in the year 1770 subsequently the cultivations were introduced to Guiana, Zanzibar, West Indies and most of the Brazil. It is not known how and when clove was introduced to Sri Lanka but may be the Arab traders or Colonial rulers may have brought the plant to the country as Sri Lanka was a major trading hub for spices during that time.

Cinnamon is the dried bark of the perennial tree of C.zeylanicum of the Lauraceae family. True cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka. Cinnamon is originally grown wild in central hill country of Sri Lanka. The history of cinnamon dates back to about 2800 B.C where it can be found referenced as ”kwai” in Chinese writings. Cinnamon is even mentioned in the Bible when Moses used it as an ingredient for his anointing oil in ancient Rome. It was burned in Roman funerals perhaps partly as a way forward to off the odor of dead bodies. Emperor Nero is said to have burned a years’ worth of the dry supply of cinnamon at the funeral of his wife Poppaea Sabina. Ancient Egyptians used it in embalming mummies because of pleasant odors and its preservative qualities.
Cinnamon was a precious spice in the west during 14th -15th centuries and its’ primary use was to preserve meat and to retard the growth of bacteria. The quest for cinnamon was a major factor which led to exploration of the world in 15th century. By that time the real cinnamon was produced in only one place, namely in Ceylon or Sri Lanka. Anyone who had the control of the supply flow would have made profits immensely. Portuguese traders made their way to Ceylon in the 15th century, enslaved the natives and had the control of the trade from Arabs. Soon the Dutch displaced the Portuguese and gained the control of the cinnamon monopoly. It was the Dutch who took a massive effort to boost the production by domestication of crop and expanding extent in the areas they had the control. Because of that effort cinnamon cultivations were moved to Western and Southern coastal belts of the island. Since 1815 the British took the control of the island and cinnamon trade too was moved to their hands. By this time the relative importance of spices in the world market had been declining due to the emerging plantation crop sector of tea and rubber, which restricted the further expansion of cinnamon. The best historical evidence about the cinnamon trade in Sri Lanka is found in Up country-Dutch agreement (Hanguranketha agreement) signed in 14th February 1766 between the Sri Lankan king Sri Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe and the Dutch government. By this agreement King had permitted the Dutch to cut and peel cinnamon in certain forest areas of Sri Lanka and Dutch agreed to protect the Kingdom from foreign invasion.

Murraya koenigii, called curry leaf, is a small, tropical to sub-tropical tree or shrub that typically grows to 6-15' tall and is noted for its pungent, aromatic, curry leaves which are an important flavoring used in Indian/Asian cuisine. This tree is native to moist forests in India and Sri Lanka. Each odd-pinnate leaf typically has 11 to 21, thin, ovate, shiny, dark green leaflets (1-2" long). Fragrant white flowers (each to 5/16" across) in many flowered panicles (terminal cymes) bloom irregularly throughout the year. Flowers are followed by 1-2 seeded, ovoid to oblong, bluish-black fruits (each to 2/3" diameter). Fruits are edible but the seeds are not. Curry leaves are highly aromatic when rubbed or bruised. They are best used fresh in cooking (dried leaves may be used but have significantly diminished flavor). Aroma/flavor of the fresh leaves is enhanced when the leaves are fried in oil or butter. Curry leaves are often added to vegetable dishes. They add subtle flavors to many other dishes, including meat, seafood, chutneys, coconut sauces, relishes, marinades and omelets. Yellow curry powder (developed by the British during the time of their colonial rule in India) is a blend of many different Indian spices, one of which is sometimes (but not always) curry leaf. Curry plant (Helichrysum italicum) is a totally unrelated plant (an herbaceous annual of the Aster family) that has a curry-like aroma but is not recommended as a substitute for curry leaf in cooking.

Cardamom, known as the “Queen of Spices” is a perennial herbaceous plant with a pseudo stem and thick irregular shaped rhizomes. Cardamom grows wild in the Western Ghats of Southern India. Many historical texts mention cardamom as a flavouring and medicinal crop. The medical compendium Charaka Sanhita written between the 2nd centaury A.D. refers to it as an ingredient in some drug preparations. Cardamom is also mentioned in Sanskrit texts of the 4th centaury B.C. in a treatise on politics called Kautilaya’s Arthasashasthra and in Taitirriya Samhitha where it is used in offering during ceremonies. In the 11th century in Indian cardamom was included in the list of ingredients for panchasugandha-thambula or five-fragrance betel chew in the Monasollasa or book of Splendour. It was also included in recipes from the court of Sultan of Mandu dating from about 1500 A.D. Cardamom was brought to an article of international trade by Arab traders and according to the Portuguese traveler Barbosa, in 1524 the international trade of cardamom was well developed.

Moringa is a plant that is native to areas of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. It is also grown in the tropics. The leaves, bark, flowers, fruit, seeds, and root are used to make medicine.Moringa is used for asthma, diabetes, obesity, symptoms of menopause, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. Oil from moringa seeds is used in foods, perfume, and hair care products, and as a machine lubricant.Moringa is an important food source in some parts of the world. Because it can be grown cheaply and easily, and the leaves retain lots of vitamins and minerals when dried, moringa is used in India and Africa in feeding programs to fight malnutrition. The immature green pods (drumsticks) are prepared similarly to green beans, while the seeds are removed from more mature pods and cooked like peas or roasted like nuts. The leaves are cooked and used like spinach, and they are also dried and powdered for use as a condiment. The seed cake remaining after oil extraction is used as a fertilizer and also to purify well water and to remove salt from seawater.

Chillie powder is a red-colored blend of powdered spices. While it contains some cayenne pepper for heat, it also has spices such as cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika intended to lend the flavors expected in chili con carne. The ratio is one part cayenne to seven parts other spices, depending on the blend. The heat level for any particular brand of chili powder is variable but is always far lower than that of pure ground chili peppers. Some blends contain salt as well as spices, which can be a concern for those who are avoiding salt.

Turmeric has been used in India for more than 5000 years now. Initially, it was cultivated as a dye as its’ vivid yellow color works brilliantly as a coloring agent. Then its highly developed uses came to know and people started using it for cosmetic and beautification purposes and eventually as a medicine. Later it became popular as a spice. Originating in India turmeric had reached China by 700 A.D, East Africa by 800 A.D and West Africa by 1200 A.D. Then it had begun to become popular all through the world. It is known that the Arab traders had carried turmeric with them to Europe in the 13th century.

Based on the historic records more than 3000 years, ginger is believed to be originated in East Asia. Ginger has been used as a spice from ancient times. It has been widely used in Chinese and in Ayurvedic medicine. There is information that says at the time of ruling of Emperor Nero the Roman army used ginger as a medicine. It was found that ginger was imported to the European countries as a spice by 1547 A.C. In recent years Ginger has been cultivated as a commercial crop in many countries. Countries such as China, India, Australia, Fiji, Hawai, Hongkong, Jamaica, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, West Africa, Taiwan are few countries which cultivate Ginger in a large scale.

The oldest known text about lemongrass oil had been found from the Philippines in the 17th century. It had been introduced to Jamaica in 1799 and to Haiti and USA in 1917. First commercial cultivation of lemongrass was reported in Florida, USA, and Haiti in 1947. It is not known when or by whom introduced lemongrass to Sri Lanka. According to the reports available at the national herbarium in 1905, a Sri Lankan researcher called Mr. J.F Jovit had acquired several plants of “Kochin Sera” (Cymbopogon citrates) From South India and had planted them at Bandarawela Farm for research purposes. Several large-scale cultivations of lemongrass had been existed in Sri Lanka in several decades ago but currently, only a few small cultivations exist.

Nutmeg is a perennial evergreen spice tree and a native of Moluccas in East Indonesia. There is some evidence to suggest that the Roman priests may have burned nutmeg as a form of incense. It is also known to have been used as a prized and costly spice in medieval cuisine, used as flavorings, medicines, preserving agents and that was at the time highly valued in the European markets. Nutmeg is reported to have been introduced to Sri Lanka at the beginning of the 19th century but there is evidence that the crop had been brought here even before that by merchants who were traveling on the Silk Road.

Mace is a yellowish-brown spice that is derived from the dried lacy coating of the nutmeg seed. Available in ground form and as dried "blades," it is often paired with other aromatic spices. Mace figures prominently in Asian, Caribbean, Indian, and Moroccan cuisines, and is also used in British, Dutch, and French cooking. It is commonly found in spice blends and baked goods, as well as savory dishes like soups, sauces, and poultry and fish recipes. The "mace" that is used as a defensive pepper spray has no relationship to the spice.