A Brief Global and Regional View of the Market.
There are three categories of gums and resins that are potential for Ethiopia: Gum Arabic, Gum Olibanum (Frankincense) and Myrrh. Africa, Middle East and Indian sub-continent are the primary sources of these types of gums. The Gum Arabic Market, the most prominent gum type in Africa, is projected to reach over $ 1 billion. The major market for Gum Arabic is North America (USD greater than 300 million). The EU market was estimated to reach USD 263 million by 2021. Gum Arabic has many uses, in both traditional practices and modern industrial applications (food, beverage, pharmaceutical, construction and confectionaries). Global Market data on the demand for Gum Olibanum and Myrrh is hard to find. However, a discussion with local experts indicated that it was estimated to be USD 100 million in 2019. Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are the leading producers and exporters of Gum Olibanum and Myrrh. The overall demand for Gum Arabic, Gum Olibanum and Myrrh is expected to increase over the coming years because of increasing demand for natural gum and resin in all the major industrial applications (confectionary, beverage, food, pharmaceutical and construction) as emulsifier and thickening agent.Â