Commodities at a Glance: Special Issue on Gum Arabic

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

ROUND TABLE: THE ECONOMICS OF GUM ARABIC IN AFRICA

27 April 2018, Geneva

Commodities at a Glance:

Special Issue on Gum Arabic

By

Mario JalesEconomic Affairs Officer, Commodities Branch, UNCTAD

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect

the views of UNCTAD.

COMMODITIES AT A GLANCE:SPECIAL ISSUE ON GUM ARABIC

Mario Jales

Commodities Branch, DITC, UNCTAD

Round Table: The Economics of Gum Arabic in Africa

Geneva, 27 April 2018

Economic Affairs Officer

Commodities at a Glance:Special Issue on Gum Arabic

✓ Part of a publication series

✓

Commodities Branch

✓ Statistical information

✓ Analysis

Outline of presentation

Commodities at a glance: Special issue on gum arabic

1. What is gum arabic?

2. Why is gum arabic important?

3. Statistics

4. Ten key policy issues

5. Conclusion

What is gum arabic?


❖ A dried exudation produced by two types of acacia trees:

o Acacia senegal

o Acacia seyalJoint FAO-WHO Expert Committee

on Food Additives (JECFA)

❖ Oozes from trees as a sticky liquid

❖ After drying in the sun, forms glassy nodules

❖ Ultimately processed into powder

Why is gum arabic important?


SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS1

NUMEROUS INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS2

Sustainable Development Goals


Numerous industrial applications


Desirable properties and functions


ODOURLESS,

TASTELESS,

TRANSLUCENT

THICKENER

HIGH FIBERLOW CALORIE

EMULSIFIERFLAVOR

ENCAPSULATOR

PESTICIDE-FREE HALAL KOSHER

NATURAL ORGANIC NON-GMO

• Commodities at a Glance: Special Issue on Gum Arabic

S T A T I S T I C S

Crude gum arabic


EXPORT QUANTITY(Tons)

0

30 000

60 000

90 000

120 000

19

92

19

94

19

96

19

98

20

00

20

02

20

04

20

06

20

08

20

10

20

12

20

14

20

16

EXPORT VALUE(Millions of US$)

-

50

100

150

200

19

92

19

94

19

96

19

98

20

00

20

02

20

04

20

06

20

08

20

10

20

12

20

14

20

16

GROWTH: + 194%

Source: UNCTAD secretariat.

GROWTH: + 58%

Crude gum arabic: Market shares


EXPORT QUANTITY(2014-2016)

Sudan65.8%

Chad13.2%

Nigeria8.5%

Cameroon3.3%

Mali2.8%

Senegal2.1%

Other4.3%

EXPORT VALUE(2014-2016)

Sudan70.5%

Chad15.8%

Nigeria 4.4%

Mali2.1%

Cameroon1.6% Other

3.7%

Senegal1.8%


Crude gum arabic: Market shares


IMPORT QUANTITY(2014-2016)

France39.5%

India35.5%

Other Europe10.8%

USA10.5%

Other3.7%

IMPORT VALUE(2014-2016)

France43.7%

India19.1%

Other Europe17.8%

USA13.8%

Other6.2%


Processed gum arabic


EXPORT QUANTITY(Tons)

-

15'000

30'000

45'000

60'000

19

92

19

94

19

96

19

98

20

00

20

02

20

04

20

06

20

08

20

10

20

12

20

14

20

16

EXPORT VALUE(Millions of US$)

0

50

100

150

200

19

92

19

94

19

96

19

98

20

00

20

02

20

04

20

06

20

08

20

10

20

12

20

14

20

16

GROWTH: + 211%


GROWTH: + 158%

Processed gum arabic: Market shares


EXPORT QUANTITY(2014-2016)

France68.8%

Other Europe20.2%

USA5.2%

Sudan3.9%

Other1.9%

EXPORT VALUE(2014-2016)

France65.8%

Other Europe23.3%

USA6.3%

Sudan2.1%

Other2.5%


Processed gum arabic: Market shares


IMPORT QUANTITY(2014-2016)

USA14.7%

UK6.7%

Germany5.2%

Brazil5.2%

China4.9%

Other Europe36.7%

Other26.7%

IMPORT VALUE(2014-2016)

USA14.6%

Ireland6.5%

UK6.2%

Germany5.2%

Other33.7%


OtherEurope28.8%

China 5.1%

Commodities at a Glance: Special Issue on Gum Arabic

P O L I C Y I S S U E S

Ten key policy issues


1) Data

2)

3) Land tenure

4) Product differentiation

5) Market power

6) Profitability

7) Local processing

8) Gender

9) Climate change

10) Stability

Conclusion


Gum arabic has enormous potential to:

❖ Promote economic growth

❖ Secure rural livelihoods

❖ Empower vulnerable groups

❖ Promote synergies with natural resource management and climate change mitigation and adaptation

Thank you.

Mario Jales [email protected]

Commodities at a Glance: Special Issue on Gum Arabic

Documents

Transcript of Commodities at a Glance: Special Issue on Gum Arabic