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: : A Tree That Supported Sudan Becomes a War's Latest Victim
: : By MARC LACEY

: : New York Times
: : Published: May 15, 2004 

: : . . . 

: : Since 1997, the United States has had economic sanctions in place against Sudan to protest the country's links to terrorists. But because gum arabic is so rare, it has been quietly exempted at the urging of American business leaders. Sudan provides more than two-thirds of the world's supply of gum arabic, and the colorless, tasteless resin collected here is considered top quality.

: : The problem now in South Darfur, a gum-producing region where the violence has displaced more than a million people, is that the poor agriculturalists who usually collect the resin from the acacia trees that produce it have been too scared to venture out. In addition, the acacia trees are being cut down in large numbers by displaced villagers in need of wood.

: : "It's a big problem," said Mohammed al-Hassan Ali, the government forestry manager in South Darfur. "Last year's harvest was down and we're very worried about this year's harvest." 

: : Production of the valuable gum fell about 60 percent in the season that just ended, primarily a result of locusts and too little rain, industry leaders say. But the insecurity is only compounding the problem, they say.

: : The low supply means the many companies that rely on Sudanese gum for their products, like Coca-Cola and Pfizer, are paying considerably higher prices for it.

: : "We've seen reduced availability and higher pricing," said Chris Berliner, vice president of the Importers Service Company in Jersey City, which imports Sudanese gum arabic, processes it and sells it. "It's dramatic — more than 100 percent more expensive."

: :  . . .

: : See the Link for the complete article.


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