Headline in today's NY Times (Saturday May 15), front page:
A tree That Supported Sudan Becomes a War's latest Victim
Apparently the attacks of "armed men on horseback who loot and burn
villages and brutalize the local population" have begun "to disrupt the
collection of a rare tree sap, gum arabic, an essential ingredient in
everything from soft drinks to beauty products and pharmaceuticals....."
The remaining trees are also chopped down for firewood as the population
becomes increasingly desperate... More than 2/3 of the world's supply of
gum arabic comes from Sudan. It's a crucial ingredient in coca-cola, among
other products. The price doubled over the last year.
It was tried experimentally to grow the trees in Texas "but the sap is not
the same.."
Judy
Received on Sat May 15 17:50:25 2004
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