Gum and Resin as a Non-Timber Forest Product

Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) form an integral part of the socio-economic fabric for forest dwelling and tribal communities in India as well as some other tropical countries. Gums and resins in particular have been highly valued due to their broad range of applications in the food, pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine, cosmetics and multiple industrial sectors. Sourced from natural exudation or induced tapping of specific plant species, these products are environmentally benign and provide a valuable source of livelihood for rural households. Broadly this paper gives a brief review on natural gums (Gum Karaya), resins (Pine resin) gum-resins asafoetida, salai gum etc., their utilization with present production status. The use of the traditional unscientific methods under which harvest of plant parts and whole tree uprooting, results in poor yield and creates a long term damage to the different species. It looks at each firm in the value chain, such as farmers, cooperatives, contractors and enterprises, and introduces structural market failures and barriers to entry related to environment issues, socio-political factors and legal constraints. The following sections will discuss processing, grading and transport issues and give policy recommendations to improve the sector efficiency. The paper suggests that there is an ample space for development, sustainable management and value addition to gums and resins for their better inclusion in predominant forest and livelihood policies.