Gum arabica gets new investor
Feb 18, 2010
An Irish investor is to revive the stalled gum arabica project. Maurice Healy, the chief executive officer of the Healy Group, said they would fund 50% of the activities of Karamoja’s Gum Arabic Co-operative Society.
By David Mugabe
An Irish investor is to revive the stalled gum arabica project. Maurice Healy, the chief executive officer of the Healy Group, said they would fund 50% of the activities of Karamoja’s Gum Arabic Co-operative Society.
The crop, used in making Coca-Cola, Guinness beer, printing ink and as a filler in foods, is only grown in Karamoja in Uganda.
Healy was speaking at a meeting with the Moroto-based Uganda Gum Arabic Co-operative Society (TUGACS) at the AGOA country response offices recently.
He, however, did not cost the extent of their potential investment until the quality of the gum arabica
is established.
The 2018 farmers under the TUGACS scheme said the cooperative had the capacity to produce 4,700 tonnes of Senegal annually and 3,000 of Seyal. The most common species of gum srabica are A Senegal (85%), seyal (87%) and A sieberiana (70.5%).
Started under a presidential initiative, the gum arabic project has not reached a commercial phase despite the country signing deals with a French firm CNI to produce 850 tonnes initially.
The co-operative was formed about three years ago to harvest, process and export the product and ensure ownership of the project by the Karamojong.
But this never happened because of capacity and financial
constraints.
“Pre-financing has been a challenge to get the produce from farmers,†said Katwiremu Yorakamu, the special presidential assistant in charge of AGOA, gum arabica department.
A kilogramme of gum arabica costs $1.
Katwiremu said despite the challenges, there was a critical mass of farmers to start with.
Uganda is only one of 16 countries that produce the gum arabica plant. Sudan is the biggest producer of the plant.
The US consumes the biggest share of of the crop.
It is has several local uses like sticking together local hunting wares like spears and arrows.
Healy said his firmhad the capacity to transport the product from Karamoja to Mombasa and Europe. They will work through an Irish company, Trade Links.
An Irish investor is to revive the stalled gum arabica project. Maurice Healy, the chief executive officer of the Healy Group, said they would fund 50% of the activities of Karamoja’s Gum Arabic Co-operative Society.
The crop, used in making Coca-Cola, Guinness beer, printing ink and as a filler in foods, is only grown in Karamoja in Uganda.
Healy was speaking at a meeting with the Moroto-based Uganda Gum Arabic Co-operative Society (TUGACS) at the AGOA country response offices recently.
He, however, did not cost the extent of their potential investment until the quality of the gum arabica
is established.
The 2018 farmers under the TUGACS scheme said the cooperative had the capacity to produce 4,700 tonnes of Senegal annually and 3,000 of Seyal. The most common species of gum srabica are A Senegal (85%), seyal (87%) and A sieberiana (70.5%).
Started under a presidential initiative, the gum arabic project has not reached a commercial phase despite the country signing deals with a French firm CNI to produce 850 tonnes initially.
The co-operative was formed about three years ago to harvest, process and export the product and ensure ownership of the project by the Karamojong.
But this never happened because of capacity and financial
constraints.
“Pre-financing has been a challenge to get the produce from farmers,†said Katwiremu Yorakamu, the special presidential assistant in charge of AGOA, gum arabica department.
A kilogramme of gum arabica costs $1.
Katwiremu said despite the challenges, there was a critical mass of farmers to start with.
Uganda is only one of 16 countries that produce the gum arabica plant. Sudan is the biggest producer of the plant.
The US consumes the biggest share of of the crop.
It is has several local uses like sticking together local hunting wares like spears and arrows.
Healy said his firmhad the capacity to transport the product from Karamoja to Mombasa and Europe. They will work through an Irish company, Trade Links.