Gumkaraya
Gum karaya is the dried natural exudate of the tree Sterculia urens, obtained by cutting or blazing the bark and collecting the gum as it seeps out and hardens into irregular tears or lumps. It is a branched, highly acetylated polysaccharide that swells strongly in water without fully dissolving. It is used as a food thickener, stabilizer and emulsifier, as a bulking agent in laxative preparations and as an adhesive base in denture fixatives, and as a thickener in textile printing pastes.
Listed gumkaraya markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Hedging gumkaraya
If a move in the gumkaraya price would hurt you, fix the price now. We agree it today for the months you name, and it holds whatever the market does in between.
| Buying | You use or resell gumkaraya and need to know your cost. We fix your purchase price for the quantity and months you name. |
|---|---|
| Selling | You grow, produce or hold gumkaraya and need to know your revenue. We fix your sale price ahead of production or shipment. |
| Settlement | With delivery of the gumkaraya, or in cash against an agreed reference with nothing moving. |
A price is fixed only once a trader confirms it in writing. Ask the desk for a fixed price.
Caps and floors on gumkaraya
A fixed price binds both sides. A cap or a floor is a guaranteed price on one side only. You pay a fee up front for it, and it is a right, not an obligation: you use it only if the market moves against you.
| Cap | For buyers. A guaranteed maximum price for gumkaraya. If the market is above the cap when you buy, you pay the cap and we cover the difference. If it is below, you buy at the market price and let the cap lapse. |
|---|---|
| Floor | For sellers. A guaranteed minimum price for gumkaraya. If the market is below the floor when you sell, you receive the floor and we cover the difference. If it is above, you sell at the market price and let the floor lapse. |
| Fee | Agreed and paid up front. It is the whole cost of the protection, and it is not refunded if the cap or floor goes unused. |
A cap or a floor is in place only once a trader confirms it in writing. Ask the desk for a cap or a floor.
Grades
A sample is assessed for moisture content, acid-insoluble ash, colour, tear/lump size, freedom from bark and wood fragments, and viscosity or swelling behaviour in water. Species identity (Sterculia urens versus a substitute gum) is confirmed by microscopy or comparable analytical methods.
Food-grade compendial specification
1 grade
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| FCCFood Chemicals Codex compliant | Meets the moisture, acid-insoluble ash and identity limits stated in the Food Chemicals Codex karaya gum monograph |
Pharmacopoeial specification
1 grade
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| PHARMPharmacopoeial compliant | Meets the moisture, ash and swelling-volume limits stated in the applicable pharmacopoeia monograph |
Grades outside this list trade on request; the trade does not use a sensory or scored hand-sort ladder as a substitute for a measured specification.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| India | Andhra Pradesh | Origin |
| India | Maharashtra | Origin |
| India | Telangana | Origin |
| India | Rajasthan | Origin |
| United States | National | Destination |
| United Kingdom | National | Destination |
| European Union | Single Market | Destination |
Locations outside this list trade on request.
Timing
Tapping of Sterculia urens runs through the dry season; cured gum accumulates at tribal collection points and trader warehouses year round rather than moving through a single harvest window, so timing risk sits mainly in inventory holding and lab turnaround rather than a seasonal supply gap.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Feb to Jun, arrival Jan to DecTapping concentrated February to June; cured gum is tradeable year round from warehouse stock. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request.
Common questions
What grades of gumkaraya does SIP Global trade?
We quote 2 published grades of gumkaraya, including FCC - Food Chemicals Codex compliant and PHARM - Pharmacopoeial compliant. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is gumkaraya graded?
A sample is assessed for moisture content, acid-insoluble ash, colour, tear/lump size, freedom from bark and wood fragments, and viscosity or swelling behaviour in water. Species identity (Sterculia urens versus a substitute gum) is confirmed by microscopy or comparable analytical methods. Grading runs on 2 systems: Food-grade compendial specification and Pharmacopoeial specification.
Where does SIP Global trade gumkaraya?
We trade gumkaraya in India, India, India, India, United States, United Kingdom and European Union. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is gumkaraya harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are India: harvest feb to jun, arrival jan to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
Can I hedge gumkaraya prices?
Yes. SIP Global fixes a gumkaraya price ahead for buyers and for sellers, which is what a hedge, or a price guarantee, comes down to. Send the grade, the quantity and the months you need covered. We settle with delivery or in cash, and a price is fixed only once a trader confirms it in writing.
How do I get a price for gumkaraya?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 5 listed gumkaraya markets are published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- Codex Alimentarius (opens in new tab)FAO and WHO food standards
- UN Comtrade (opens in new tab)Official international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade Map (opens in new tab)Bilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTAT (opens in new tab)FAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.