Gum arabic, a natural substance used to mix, stabilize, and thicken ingredients in products from coca-cola to m&m's, is increasingly being trafficked out of rebel-held regions in sudan, according to traders and industry sources.
Sudan, which produces around 80% of the world's gum arabic, has seen its key harvesting areas in kordofan and darfur fall under the control of the paramilitary rapid support forces (rsf) following the outbreak of conflict in april 2023.
Industry insiders say that since the rsf seized control of these regions, the raw gum arabic is being marketed by sudanese traders only in exchange for a fee to the rsf. The product is often exported through informal border markets without proper certification, complicating efforts by western companies to secure conflict-free supply chains. Several producers and buyers, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that many traders now offer the commodity at lower prices, a sign that the traditional regulatory framework has largely broken down.
The smuggling network has emerged as sudan’s civil conflict disrupted formal trade channels. Wwhile the association for international promotion of gums has stated there is no clear evidence linking the gum arabic supply chain to the competing forces in sudan, five industry sources warned that the opaque trade risks infiltrating procurement systems of global ingredients makers. Companies such as nexira, alland & robert, and ingredion have diversified their sourcing to include countries like cameroon to mitigate these risks.
Traders have detailed changing routes for the illicit product. Before the conflict, gum arabic was sorted in khartoum and shipped through port sudan via the suez canal; now, a significant portion is reportedly crossing into south sudan and egypt through informal markets along the border of west kordofan. Some buyers have declined offers due to the absence of sedex certification, which guarantees that a supplier meets ethical and sustainable standards.
As the conflict in sudan continues, the smuggling of gum arabic presents significant challenges for global supply chains. Western companies that rely on this key ingredient - from food and beverage giants to cosmetic and pet food manufacturers—are increasingly finding it difficult to trace the origin of their supplies, raising concerns about quality and ethical sourcing.
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