Potentials

Constraints

Ø Availability of gum Arabic producing trees (Hashab and Taleh).

Ø Conducive climatic conditions for tree growth and gum production.

Ø Available land to establish and expand the plantation.

Ø Willingness of the local producers to involve in tree planting and gum collection.

Ø High demand for the product in the local and international market.

Ø The establishment of the gum Arabic Council Governance Institution.

Ø Gum Arabic is part of the tri-partite economic programme the government depends on economic reform, export development, and enhancement of Sudan’s economy.

Ø Lack of land ownership by the local community

Ø The decreased forest area due to traditional farming and encroachment of mechanized farming, overgrazing and burn resulted into loss of species and habitat destruction.

Ø Limited availability of water and labor in the production zones.

Ø Charcoal traders were another threat to the natural forests and marginal lands.

Ø Floor price which encourages producers is not stable and fluctuating every season.

Ø Lack of experience and poor working culture of the local people to harvest gum Arabic.

Ø Over-grazing and woodcutting.

Ø Production levies and fees imposed by the authorities obstructing production.

Ø Smuggling gum to neighboring countries, due to the government insistence on imposing fees and levies on the commodity.