The largest producer of gum Arabic is Sudan with millions
of dollars in annual sales. In Africa small farmers account for 80% the
produce. Things that affect the price of the product are war, civil unrest, famine
and government initiatives.
Advantage
of Starting a gum Arabic Exportation Business
Gum Arabic is a highly sort after product in European
markets. There are very few suppliers and many buyers.
The product has multiple industrial applications and is
natural. It requires low skilled labor and low risk of substitution in
products. The only disadvantage is that big companies dominate the import end
and could influence prices.
Things
to Consider Before Exporting Gum Arabic
- Export procedures
- Export planning/analysis
- Sourcing quality product
- Cost analysis
- Export prices, specification and destination
- Trade agreement
- Company registration
- Legalities
- Export financing
Top Suppliers
of Gum Arabic
Top suppliers of gum Arabic include Sudan, Senegal, Mali
and Nigeria. Other producers are Northern Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
Exporting yam from Nigeria
Exporting yam from Nigeria
Grade
of Gum Arabic Exported
Although there are two major types of gum Arabic
harvested we have four grades exported. The four grades exported are mechanical
powder or hand picked selected.
The other two grades are kibbled and spray dried powder.
Kibbling involves harmer mills breaking down gum lumps into granular form.
The process of breaking down the gum could be applied
manually or mechanically. The two types of granules produced vary in size and
dimension and are cleaned grade or kibbled.
Spray drying produces highly soluble powder while
mechanical powdering is easier than spray drying. Hand picked selected globules
are cleaned, graded and sorted and further processed into powder.
What
is Gum Arabic?
The hardened sap of different species of acacia tree is
gum Arabic. The produce is primarily collected from two trees the Vachellia
acacia Seyal and the Acacia Senegal.
The tree could be cultivated however most small farmers
harvest directly from wild trees. Gum Arabic is edible and an original source
for sugars such as ribose and arabinose.
Made from a complex brew of polysaccharides, glycoprotein
it has lots of applications. The dry exudates harvest from the truck or
branches of the seyal trees is usually pale white or orange brown.
Applications
of Gum Arabic
The product has many manufacturing and product
applications. Gum Arabic is found in glue, ink, dyes and the food industry.
It is found in soft drink syrups, pharmaceutical drugs
and cosmetics. It produces adhesives used on envelops, postage stamps and is a
good emulsifier.
Other important properties are binding agent and
diluents. Lithographers use the gum to etch images on plate and some found in
chewing gum.
- Found in ink
- Glue
- Soft drinks
- Syrups
- Pharmaceutical drugs
- Postage stamps
- Cigarette wrappers
- Chewing gum
- Envelops
- Beverages
- Diary
- Food manufacturing
- Flavorings
- Confectionery
Properties
of Gum Arabic
The economic importance of gum Arabic is due to its
amazing properties. The product is a good stabilizer, thickener and has
adhesive properties.
It is a good binder, high fibre content and emulsifier.
The soft drink industry is the major consumer of gum Arabic.
- High fiber content
- Binding quality
- Emulsifier
- Adhesive properties
- Good thickener
- Good stabilizer
Export
Markets
Europe is the largest consumer of gum Arabic. Major
players are United Kingdom, France and Germany.
The industry that uses the most amount of gum Arabic is
the soft drinks industry. The focus on natural ingredients and clean labels
drive the product. Another driving force is consumer demand for ethical
products
Legal
Requirements
The exportation of gum Arabic is subject to strict rules
and regulations. Failure to comply will amount to rejected product and huge
loss in revenue.
Legalities are geared towards adulterated products,
contaminants, hygiene and method of extraction. Other guidelines are aimed at
classification, packaging and proper labeling.
You need export documentation, liability insurance and
good quality control. You need a food safety certificate and Kosher/Halal
certificate.
Before exporting the product send a sample for analysis. Adulterants
are a big issue in the gum Arabic business.
Make sure the gum Arabic is 100% natural and meets Europe
quality requirements. Labeling is mandatory and should have net weight, batch
number, date of manufacture and best before date.
Other requirements are your name/address, product name,
recommended storage conditions and grade. Best packaging material is waterproof
polythene/lined plastic bags. Some buyers have specific instructions on
packaging material.
Collection
The exporter need to network with local farmers. You
could have a centralized collection point for your produce.
Make sure what you buy is 100% natural and devoid of
contaminants. You need to identify and find trade partners to sell the product.
how to start import/export business
how to start import/export business
image attribution- By Ji-Elle - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org
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