The report Guar 2015

The report “Guar Industry Outlook 2015 gives an overview of guar industry with respect to 2015 by giving future perspective with reference to past. The report can be an important information source for the stakeholders to make informed decision with respect to highly uncertain future of guar industry. 

The Guar Industry has evolved from being used for domestic and ruminant feed purpose to finding applications in industries. Owing to new technology, research and development the natural gum property of guar has varied applications from food, pharma industry to oil Industry to and is poised to grow.

 India is the major producer of Guar Seed followed by Pakistan and US. India's guar seed production is subjected to temporal fluctuations and it ranged between 2-18 lakh tons during 2005-06 to 2012-13. The area under cultivation of guar in India has not changed much from last 10 years even then the production has increased to a great extent due to increasing productivity. Rajasthan is a major producer of guar among Indian states. The State produces more than 70% of total guar seed produced in the country. Haryana is the second largest Guar producing state in India which contributes around 11% of total guar seed production. The productivity of guar in Haryana is much higher than the productivity in Rajasthan.

The processing of guar gives three products mainly viz. guar splits, churi and Korma. Guar split is used as a main products for different industrial uses while Churi and Korma are used as cattle feed. 

Nearly 75-80% of the Guar Gum or other derivatives of Guar seed are being produced in India and are exported mainly to USA and European countries. The value added derivatives of Guar seed are used by the various industries in India as well as abroad. Pakistan, Sudan and parts of USA are the other major Guar growing countries which produces nearly 20% of world guar seed production. 

India contributes for more than 80% of the world guar split supply. Total world supply of guar split is around 4-5 lakh tonnes in a normal year. It increased upto 8 lakh tonnes as has been recorded in the year 2003-04. The consumption of guar gum by Fast Hydrated Gum (FHG) industry was limited to around 30%. But at present the scenario has changed and the major consumer of guar gum is FHG industry.It is also seen that the demand from food industry has reduced to around 20% only from 50-55% prior to the year 2005. 

The market of guar has witnessed a shift which was quite unexpected for the participants in the industry. The mean price of guar from 2007 to 2011 was moving around Rs. 2000/qt. to Rs. 2100. But the high price fluctuations in the year 2012 the mean price of entire period (2007-2013) shifted to a new high at around Rs. 3600/qt. at Jaipur market. The similar price movement has been witnessed by almost all the markets to the same extent. Mean spot price of guar seed for the last two year was around Rs. 7600/qt. In 2013 the price is moving towards stability. 

Although AGMARK grades are defined, market is run by industry grade as defined by the traders. Due to the fact that the product has a very long storage life, most of the product purchased from the mandi by traders is released in a staggered way as per the demand for coming years. The price in the market (trader to miller) is influenced by the stock positions. Most of the traders store guar seed in their own storage structures instead of storing in accredited warehouses. Warehousing facilities for storage of guar seed is inadequate thus needs more storage structures to be built. The quality of the commodity is not maintained properly at the warehouses, and there should be strict regulations for the warehouses on quality issue. 

The market is constraint by lack of transparency and market information. In spite of the fact that guar has assumed importance of stratospheric level, there is no systematic collection and dissemination of market information to the participants. 

All India Coordinated Research Project on Arid Legumes including research in Guar as a mandate is the only research effort towards guar crop in the country. The progress in research and development have been made at CAZARI, Agriculture Research Station (ARS), Durgapura, and CCS Haryana Agricultural University. R&D efforts have focused to produce good quality seed of notified varieties of guar. The scientists are also developing extra early maturing variety. The R&D efforts coupled with training to the farmers for quality seed production is paving way for integrated lab to land transfer of technology. 

The future of guar industry is for specialized applications and derivatives. It is envisaged that the industry will move towards product differentiation to meet the specific and niche demand. For example- in food industry there is growing preference for bio-degradable, non-polluting and organic, products. This gives ample scope for leveraging investment, knowledge management, technology and partnerships for technology sharing and transfer.

click blow
http://www.ccsniam.gov.in/GUAR_Booklet_03122013.pdf

GUAR?

1) What is Guar? 

Guar or cluster bean (sometimes clusterbean) (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (syn. C. psoralioides), Fabaceae)
is an annual legume plant that grows in semiarid regions. Guar is drought-tolerant and can be eaten green
like snap beans, fed to cattle or used as a green manure. It bears many bean-like pods, each of which
contains six to nine small, rounded seeds. The guar seed is typically made up of 40% to 46% germ, 38% to
45% endosperm, and 14% to 16% husk. The gum is obtained from the grounded endosperm.

2) What is Guar Gum?

Guar gum, a natural gum, is an edible thickening agent extracted from the guar bean. Guar beans have a
large endosperm which contains galactomannan gum which forms a gel in water. This is commonly known
as guar gum and is widely used Food and industrial applications. Guar gum has also proven a useful
substitute for locust bean gum.

3) How is Guar Gum prepared? 

Guar gum is prepared by removing the husk and germ portions before extracting the gum from the
endosperm.

4) What is Guar Gum mainly used as? 

Guar Gum is mainly used as natural thickener, emulsifier, stabilizer, bonding agent, hydrocolloid, gelling
agent, soil stabilizer, natural fiber, flocculants and fracturing agent.

5) What are the properties of Guar gum? 

Guar gum is soluble in hot and cold water but insoluble in most organic solvents and has strong hydrogen
bonding properties. It has excellent thickening, Emulsion, Stabilizing and film forming properties. It is
compatible with a variety of inorganic and organic substances including certain dyes and various
constituents of food.

6) How Guar gum powder is prepared? 

The seeds of Guar are split and the endosperm & germ is separated from the endosperm by sieving.
Through heating, grinding & polishing process the husk is separated from the endosperm halves and the
refined Guar Gum split are obtained. Through grinding process the refined Guar split are then treated and
converted into powder.

7) Which are the grades of Guar Gum Powder? 

There are two types of Guar Gum Powder
1) Food grade Guar Gum Powder
2) Industrial grade Guar Gum Powder

8) What are the factors to be considered for different grade Guar Gum Powder? 

The grade of Guar Gum Powder depends upon: active matter content, granulation, viscosity, pH and
degree of substitution.

9) What are the Physical Characteristics of Guar Gum Powder?

Guar Gum is a white to yellowish white powder and is nearly odorless. Fine finished Guar Gum Powder is
available in different viscosities and granulometries depending on the desired viscosity development and
applications.
10) In which food industries Guar gum is mainly used? 

Guar gum is mainly used in food industries for frozen food products, baked food products, dairy products,
sauces & salad preparations, confections, beverages, pet food etc. 11

11) In which other industries Guar gum is used? 

Guar gum is widely used in textile industry, paper industry, explosives industry, oil and gas drilling, mining,
construction, pharmaceutical, cosmetic industries and many other industries.

12) Which country mainly produced Guar? 

Guar crop is produced in the India, Pakistan, Sudan, USA, South Africa, Brazil, Malawi, Zaire and Australia.
13) Which country is the major producer of Guar? 

India is the major producer of Guar. India produces approximately 80% of world’s total production.
Pakistan follows India with 10 - 15% share in the world’s total production.

14) What is the height of Guar Plant? 

Guar plant is a rough to touch, bushy plant that has the ability to dwell even in the drought like conditions.
This small, purple flowered, pointed leaved plant ranges from 2-9 feet in height. It is consumed as a bean,
livestock fed and also in the form of manure in the fields.

15) What is the sowing and harvesting period of Guar? 

 The sowing period is in the months July and August right after the first shower of the monsoon.
 The harvesting period is in the months October and November.
Guar is clearly a rain dependent crop. If the rainfall levels fluctuate during the year, it strongly influences
the yield of the crop.

16) Who is the major exporter of Guar Gum? 

India, Pakistan, USA, Italy, Morocco, Spain, France, Greece, Germany are the major exporter of Guar Gum

17) Who is the major importer of Guar Gum? 

Canada, China, Chile, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, USA, Ireland,
Sweden, Greece, Portugal, Mexico are the major importer of Guar gum.

18) What is thickening agent or thickener? Is Guar gum used as a thickening agent? 

Yes, Guar gum is widely used as a thickening agent.
Thickening agents, or thickeners, are substances which, when added to the mixture, increase its viscosity
without substantially modifying its other properties, like taste. They provide body, increase stability, and
improve suspending action. Thickening agents are often food additives.

Future of Guar Market

The market of guar has witnessed a shift which was quite unexpected for the participants in the industry. The mean price of guar from 2007 to 2011 was moving around Rs. 2000/qt./qt. to Rs. 2100. But the high price fluctuations in the year 2012 the mean price of entire period (2007-2013) shifted to a new high at around Rs. 3600/qt. at Jaipur market. Mean price of last two year was around Rs. 7600/qt. In 2013 the price is moving towards stability with minor fluctuations. 

In the year 2012-13, the export of guar split and gum from India to the world was around 3.3 lakh tonnes. It is estimated that the 20% of output of guar is being consumed within the country. The estimated total output of guar split and gum in the year 2012-13 was around 4 lakh tonnes. The compounded Annual Growth Rate of guar gum industry is estimated at 17.6%. Even if the industry grows with 15% CAGR, the expected size of the market in 2015 will be around 5.3 lakh tonnes.

The production of guar at commercial level has been started in many of the African countries which is expected to overcome the trouble caused to the industry due to fluctuations in the production in India. After the emergence of usage of guar in oil drilling industry, there had not been any new application emerged so far which indicates that the demand will be consistent without much fluctuations. 

Though India accounts for 75-80% of the total guar produced in the world (60-70% is cultivated in Rajasthan) lack of technology on value addition diminishes the profits that can be earned from the crop. Lack of awareness among the stakeholders regarding the commercial value of the crop is resulting in under-exploitation of the crop for export. Meager efforts are made for stabilization of guar seed productivity in the country, since guar is not considered widely as a commercial crop. Countries like USA and Australia are making concerted efforts to grow guar seed extensively and thus production is showing increasing trend in those countries. This may lead to loss of international market for Indian guar gum products.

The future of guar industry is for specialized applications and derivatives. It is envisaged that the industry will move towards product differentiation to meet the specific and niche demand. For example- in food industry there is growing preference for bio-degradable, non-polluting and organic, products. This gives ample scope for leveraging investment, knowledge management, technology and partnerships for technology sharing and transfer. 

GUAR GUM POWDER

Guar Gum is relatively cost effective as compared to other thickeners and stabilizers along with it being an effective binder, plasticizer and emulsifier. One of the important properties of guar gum, a polysaccharide, is that it is high on galactose and mannose. Guar gum is also known as guarkernmehl, guaran, goma guar, gomme guar, gummi guar and galactomannan. Endosperm of guar seeds are used in many sectors of industries like mining, petroleum, textile, food products, feed Products, Pet Food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, water treatment, oil & gas well drilling and fracturing, explosives, confectioneries and many more. Since a long time Guar Gum can be also named as a hydrocolloid, is treated as the key product for humans and animals as it has a very high nourishing property.

Guar Gum is mainly used as a 

ƒ Natural thickener
ƒ Emulsifier
ƒ Stabiliser
ƒ Bonding agent
ƒ Hydrocolloid
ƒ Gelling agent
ƒ Soil Stabiliser
ƒ Natural fiber
ƒ Flocculants
ƒ Fracturing agen

Guar Gum for Food Industries 

Guar gum is one of the best thickening additives, emulsifying additives and stabilizing additives. In Food Industry Guar gum is used as gelling, viscosifying, thickening, clouding, and binding agent as well as used for stabilization, emulsification, preservation, water retention, enhancement of water soluble fiber content etc.

 Some food products in which guar gum powder is used: 

ƒ Ice Cream, soft drinks & concentrates, puddings
ƒ Chocolate milk, flavoured milks
ƒ Jams, jellies, fruit spreads, jelly sweets
ƒ Bread, biscuit and other baked foods
ƒ Ham and sausages
ƒ Soft cheese and cheese spreads
ƒ Canned or retorted food of fish and meat
ƒ Myonnaise, ketchup, sauce and dressings
ƒ Noodles and pasta

In Frozen Food Products: 
Guar gum reduces crystal formation, act as a binder & stabilizer to extend shelf
life of Ice-cream.
In Baked Food Products:
 Guar gum provides unparallel moisture preservation to the dough and retards fat
penetration in baked foods.
In Dairy Products:
 Guar Gum improves texture, maintains uniform viscosity and color.

Fast Hydration Guar Gum Powder 

Guar is also known as Cluster Bean (cyamopsis Tetragonoloba) a drought hardly
leguminous crop. Guar is being grown for seed, green fodder, vegetable and green
manuring. It is an annual plant about 4 feet high, vertically stacked, large leaves and clusters of pods. The pods are used as a green vegetable or as a cattle feed besides the industrial extraction of Guar gum.

Properties of Guar Gum: 

• It is soluble in cold water.
• It has strong hydrogen bonding properties.
• It has excellent thickening, emulsion, stabilizing and film forming properties.
• It has excellent stability to control rheology by water phase management.

Guar Gum is used as:

• Natural thickener
• Emulsifier
• Stabilizer
• Bonding agent
• Hydrocolloid
• Gelling agent
• Natural Fiber
• Fracturing agent

The natural fast hydrating, dispersible and diesel slurriable guar gum is ideally suitable for all rheological requirements of oil well drilling, continuous fracturing and diesel slurry. It is widely used in oil well drilling due to its multi-function such as fluid and water loss control, viscosity control, lubrication. It is used for cooling of drill bits, mud drilling and cementing slurries, where immediate high viscosity and quick hydration is required. The main use of guar gum is in top hole oil well drilling. Industrial grade guar gum powder is suitable for use in oil well fracturing, oil well stimulation, mud drilling and serves as a stabilizer, thickener and suspending agent.
In oil well drilling guar gum used as a surfactant, fracturing fluid and synthetic polymer for all requirements of water based and brine based oil well drills. It attains high viscosity in 3 to5 minutes of time. 

HI-TECH GUAR CULTIVATION

ACI AGRO SOLUTION utilizes local workers that have experience in guar cultivation and irrigation. These workers plant, tend and harvest the crop. The manager ensures workers are reliable and knowledgeable. Once harvested, the seeds are transported to a local processor so the endosperm can be ground into guar gum, and the residual sold/used as fertilizer for the next crop.
With the support of carefully selected guar agriculture experts from two key universities, the company focusses on continuous monitoring of soil conditions, irrigation needs and subjects the crop to ongoing oversight from seed to harvest by aggregating information in order to continuously improve operations and to increase yield as much as possible. Our research and development consultants work on techniques to increase quality and quantity of guar gum products. The company also aims to participate in R & D proposals from any innovators in the guar growing industry, and aims to fund the most promising proponents.
Areas of research are planned to include the following:
• Crop production in different climatic conditions
• Crop production utilizing differing water availability
• High yield varieties
• High gum percentage variety
• Short duration crops
• Disease and pest resistance
• Improvement in the size and boldness of seed
• Mechanization of guar cultivation
• Innovations in guar storage facilities
• Efficient gum extraction technology
• Increase in scope of application of guar seeds and gum
• Marketing and processing infrastructure
The Company continues to foster strong relationships with officials in India’s agriculture ministry. Funding government-led research projects will ensure ACI AGRO SOLUTION is at the forefront of developments in the industry and in full regulatory compliance.
ACI AGRO closely monitors the market and aims to sell at a strong market price or store the product if there is instability or uncertainty – ensuring the company remains profitable while working on innovations to enhance growth.

strong year for guar

2013 was a strong year for guar sowing and production in India. The total sowing area rose by 21 percent in 2013 to reach 10.6 million acres. Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat – the three key guar-producing states –exceeded the sowing area target set by their respective agriculture departments. Non-traditional guar cultivators other Indian states also showed keen interest in the crop in 2013.
The complex nature of the guar gum industry in India warrants close monitoring of the market at all times. The industry is starting 2014 with a strong stock of guar seeds, ample processing capacity to produce guar gum, and steady global demand. Despite these positive market fundamentals, the guar industry in India remains exposed to price volatility because of potential impact from additional market factors. These factors, which are mainly specific to India, have the potential to disrupt the guar market.
The opaque nature of guar gum supply chain in India demands continuous, close monitoring of developments on the ground to better predict pricing and supply trends as 2014 season unfolds. While prices look stable at this juncture, there are that could have a significant impact to the stability of the guar market

Strong end demand in oil and natural gas production

According to industry estimates, global guar gum demand grew 33% to 681k metric tons in the 2011-12 selling season from 510k in 2010-2011. These same sources estimate a more modest 4% increase in demand in 2012-2013 to 711k metric tons. India is the world’s leading supplier of guar gum, producing roughly 80% of global supplies. The US purchased 75% of India’s guar gum output in 2011-2012, with China a distant second at 6%. Of this US demand, 62% of it was for industrial grade guar gum, with the majority of that demand being fueled by the oil and gas industry. Guar Global will focus on producing hydroxypropyl guar gum for the US oil and gas industry, where it is valued for its unique gelling properties, making it ideal for resource extraction in drilling and hydraulic fracturing projects. Guar gum is the main 
natural (EPA safe) viscosifier for fracking fluids. It mixes with water, leaves behind minimal residue and is easy to crosslink and clean out. It is estimated that each frack utilizes roughly 10,000 lbs of guar gum. Demand for natural gas shows no sign of slowing down, and the International Energy Outlook 2013 predicts global natural gas demand to rise 1.5% annually through 2040

guar gum health benefits

Guar Gum is popular and has a wide range of uses in many industries, the largest market being the food industry.Primarily due to its affordability, high soluble fibre content, its ability to absorb liquids and act as a strong thickening agent in small uantities.In cooking and baking Guar Gum is included as a natural food stabiliser,
thickener and emulsifier.It is used in doughs, pastries, dairy foods,soups, stews, drinks and condiments, safe in gluten-free products and used in ice cream and frozen desserts to retard ice crystal growth. It is a positive addition to dietary fibre intake, for general digestive and colon health and to assist with conditions such as diarrhoea, constipation and chronic bowel conditions. Guar Gum may promote a protective, pain-relieving and healing effect on gastric ulcers, contribute to lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels in those with relative conditions and also play a positive role in general weight loss and obesity with the promotion of fullness, satiety and appetite suppression. It is also a popular choice in the manufacture of skin creams and gels to thicken and stabilise preparations.Certainly a natural and affordable plant based alternative to consider for use, 

Properties of Guar Gum

The most important property of guar gum is its ability to hydrate rapidly in cold water to attain uniform and very high viscosity at relatively low concentrations. Apart from being the most cost-effective stabilizer and emulsifier it provides texture improvement and water binding, enhances mouth feel and controls crystal formation. The main properties of guar gum are:

.It is soluble in hot & cold water but insoluble in most organic solvents. 
.It has strong hydrogen bonding properties. 
.It has excellent thickening, emulsion, stabilizing and film forming properties. 
.It has excellent ability to control rheology by water phase management. 
.The viscosity of guar gum is influenced by temperature, pH, presence of salts and 
other solids. 


Chemically, guar gum is a straight chain galactomannan, which is 75-85% of the endosperm, has a chain of (1→4)-linked-β-D-mannopyranosyl units with single α-D- galactopyranosyl units connected by (1→6) linkages to, on the average, every second main chain unit (Fig. 4). The ratio of D-mannopyranosyl to D-galactopyranosyl units is about 1.8:1. The average molecular weight of guaran is in the range of 1-2 ×106 dalton. The cis-position is important since adjacent hydroxyl groups reinforce each other in hydrogen bonding reactions. 

STRATEGIC REPORT ON GUAR SEED AND GUM

The purpose of this report is to provide an inside look and overview about the production, processing and consumption of Guar in various industries around the globe. Guar or cluster bean is believed to have originated in Africa but is been grown throughout southern Asia since ancient times as a vegetable and fodder crop. Guar has been cultivated in India and Pakistan for ages for use of its tender pods as fresh vegetables and other parts of the plants to be used as cattle feed. The plant is extremely drought‐resistant, being able to absorb efficiently all ground water. It grows therefore easily in those semi‐arid regions where less hardy crops perish. The major world supplier of guar seed are India, Pakistan and United States. 

The guar bean is principally grown in India and Australia, with smaller crops in the US, China, and Africa. In India, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana are the main producing regions, and Jodhpur, Sri Ganga-Nagar and Hanumangarh in Rajasthan are the major Guar trading markets. 

India produces 1.2-1.5 million tons of guar annually, making it the largest producer with about 80% of world production. In Pakistan, Punjab is the main production area for guar beans. 

The world production for guar gum and its derivatives is about 0.7 million tons (700,000 tons). Industrial guar gum accounts for about 45% of the total demand. It is used as a controlling agent in oil wells to facilitate easy drilling and prevent fluid loss 

State wise production of guar in India:

State Production in Tons %

Rajasthan	7,50,000	70%
Haryana	2,00,000	16%
Gujarat	1,50,000	12%
Punjab and others	25,000	2%
Total	11,25,000	100%

                                                     

Processing Flow Chart

5.1 Undehusked Guar Splits

  The gum is commercially extracted from the seeds essentially by

  a mechanical process of roasting, differential attrition, sieving and polishing.

  The seeds are broken and the germ is separated from the endosperm.

  Two halves of the endosperm are obtained from each seed and are known as Undehusked Guar     Splits. 

5.2 Refined Guar Splits

Refined Guar Splits are obtained when the fine layer of fibrous material, which forms the husk, is removed

and separated from the endosperm halves by polishing. 

5.3 Guar Powder

The refined Guar Splits are then treated and finished into powders by a variety of routes and processing

techniques depending upon the end product 

5.4 Guar seed Extract

Guar seed consists of three parts, germ (43-47%), endosperm (35-42%) and the husk (1 17%). Extracts from Guar

seed include Guar Split/Gum (29%), Korma (30-35%) and Churi (35-40%). Guar split/gum is further refined to Guar

powder. The by-product of Guar Gum industry consisting of the outer seed coat and germ material is called

guar meal. The Guar meal after gum Extraction is a potential source of protein and contains about 42% crude

protein, which is one and a half times more than the level of protein in guar seed. 

5.5 Guar gum & Splits

Approximately 90% of total Guar produce is used for production of Guar Gum and rest is used for culinary

purposes and cattle feed etc. Guar gum, also called guaran, is a galactomanan. Guar gum is produced from

the endosperm, which is about 35-42 percent of the guar seed mass, and mainly consists of gum Poly groups of

monogalactoses (a type of sugar). Different grades are made based on purity and present viscosity of powers in

water. Guar gum has almost 8 times the thickening power as corn starch, and is used in dressings, sauces, milk

products, and baking mixes.

5.5. (a) Specifications of Guar Splits:

Attribute	Specification
Gum Content	80-85%
Dehusked Splits	90% Minimum
Protein	5% Maximum
Ether Extract	0.6% Maximum
Ash	1% Maximum
Moisture	10% Maximum
Crude Fibre	1.5% Maximum
Degree of refining	Double refined

Applications of Food Grade Guar Gum Powder/ Derivatives

In food Industry guar gum / derivatives is used as gelling, viscosifying, thickening, 
clouding and binding agent as well as used for stabilization, emulsification, 
preservation, water retention, enhancement of water soluble fiber content etc. Some 
food products in which guar gum powder is used are: 

1 Ice cream, soft drinks & concentrates, puddings 

2 Chocolate milk, flavored milk 

3 Pet Foods 

4  Bread, biscuit and other baked foods

5  Ham and sausages 

6 Soft cheese and cheese spreads 

7 Canned or retorted food of fish and meat 

8  Myonnaise, ketchup, sauce and dressings 

9  Noodles and pasta 

In frozen food products- guar gum reduces crystal formation; act as a binder & 
stabilizer to extend shelf life of ice cream
. 
In baked food products- guar gum provides unparallel moisture preservation to the 
dough and retards fat penetration in baked foods.

In dairy products- guar gum improves texture, maintains uniform viscosity and color

In sauces & salad preparations- guar gum acts as a water binder in sauces and salad 
dressings and reduces water and oil separation.

In confectionary- guar gum controls viscosity, bloom, gel creation, glazing and 
moisture retention to produce the highest-grade confectionary.

In beverages- guar gum provides outstanding viscosity control and reduces calories 
value in low calories beverages.

In pet food- guar gum forms gels and retains moisture, acts as a thickening, stabilizer 
and suspending agent for veterinary preparations. 

Pharmaceutical Industry 

Guar gum or its derivatives are used in pharmaceutical industries as gelling / viscosifying / thickening, suspension, stabilization, emulsification, preservation, water 
retention / water phase control, binding, clouding/bodying, process aid, pour control 
for suspensions, anti-acid formulations, tablet binding & disintegration agent, controlled drug delivery systems, slimming aids, nutritional foods etc. 

Guar gum is an important non-caloric source of soluble dietary fiber. Guar gum powder is widely used in capsules as dietary fiber. Fiber is a very important element of any healthy diet. It is useful in clear the intestinal system since fiber cannot be digested. This keeps the intestines functioning properly and also improves certain disorders and ailments. All natural fiber diet works with body to achieve a feeling of fullness and to reduce hunger. Its synergistic mix of guar gum and fiber mixture when taken with water expands in stomach to produce a feeling of fullness.

Guar production Areas

It is mainly grown in areas of India (Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Punjab), Pakistan, Sudan, and USA. India produces 6.0-7.5 lakh tons of guar annually. It contributes to around 80% share in the world’s total production. In India, Rajasthan and Haryana states contribute 85% of the total production. In Rajasthan, the districts where guar production is done are Churu, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Nagaur, Hanumangarh, Jodhpur, Ganganagar, Jaipur, Sirohi, Dausa, Jhunjhunu and Sikar. The districts in Haryana indulged in the production of guar are Bhiwani, Sirsa, Mahendragarh and Rewari and the districts in Gujarat are Kutch, Banaskantha, Mehsana, Sabarkantha and Ahmedabad. Jodhpur city in Rajasthan is one of the major processing centers of guar gum in India. Various exporters and manufacturers export guar splits, guar gum powder and its derivatives all over the world. India’s export of guar gum has witnessed a 45 per cent increase between the years 2000-01 and 2005-06. The country's export of guar gum was 186,718.4 MT during the year 2005-06. The net worth of the Indian exports is estimated around INR 10.5 Billion. The consumption of guar seeds is largely influenced by the demands from the petroleum industry of United States of America and China. Guar and Guar derivatives are quite useful in the petroleum drilling and fracturing industries. The major importing countries of guar gum and its derivatives are USA, Germany, Italy, China, Denmark, France, UK, Netherlands, Japan and South Africa

important reasons to have Guar Seed Futures:

Uncontrolled and Uncertain Supply  

There is no Government regulation and restrictions affecting the Guar production and supply. The
price discovery is left to market forces based on the rainfall and acreage pattern.
Fluctuation and Uncertain Demand 

Demand from Domestic and International market is uncertain. The later depending on the crop in
Pakistan and US.
Homogenous nature with well-defined grades

The commodity has well defined grades and specifications for reference of trading and also to
facilitate physical delivery in cased if required.
Long storing period 

The commodity is subjected to long storage requirement based on market prices and overseas
demand.

Value Chain

The flow of the value chain for Guar Seed is as follows:

                                                                Farmer
                                                                    !
                                                        Agent (Mandi)/Stockiest 
                                                                    ! ............ Brokers   
                                                        Split Processing Units
                                                                    ! ............Brokers 
                                                         Powder Processing Units
                                                                    !
                                                         Industrial Use (local/export) 
                                                                    !
                                                             Consumer 

Guar is a rain fed monsoon crop, which requires 8-15 inch of rain in 3-4 spells and is harvested in 
October - November. It is sown immediately after first showers say in July and harvested around 
November each year. The crop yield is directly related to the monsoon. It requires a relative long 
growing season of 20-25 weeks.

guar Gum Manufacturing Process

Depending upon the requirement of the end product, various techniques are used for processing guar. In India, commercial production of guar gum is normally undertaken by using the process of  roasting, differential attrition, sieving and polishing. The stage-wise process of manufacturing food grade guar gum is as follows: Selected guar split is screened to clean and then soaked to prehydrate in a double cone mixer. Prehydrating stage is very important in the process as it derives the rate of hydration of the final  product.  Soaked splits, which have reasonably high moisture content, are passed through a flaker. The flaked guar split is ground to the desired particle size, followed by drying of the material. The powder is then screened through rotary screens to deliver required particle size. Oversized material is either recycled or reground, as per viscosity requirement. The soaked splits are difficult to grind. Direct grinding of such splits generates more heat in the grinder, an undesirable process, as it results in insoluble or reduced hydration in the end product. Using heating, grinding and polishing process, the husk is separated from the endosperm halves and the refined guar gum split is obtained. Through grinding process, the refined guar split is then
treated and converted into powder. During the split manufacturing process, husk and germ are obtained and these are widely used as cattle feed, as they are rich in protein. It is widely sold in the international market as guar meal and contains oil and lbuminoids, about 50 per cent in germ and about 25 per cent in husks. Quality of food grade guar gum powder is defined from its particle size, rate of hydration and the microbial it contains

Guar Seed: The pods are sun dried, manually separated from the seeds and the seeds are supplied to the industry for processing. Guar by-products, churi and korma, are used as cattle feed.

Undehusked Guar Splits: A mechanical process of roasting, differential attrition, sieving and polishing, commercially extracts the gum from the seeds. The seeds are broken and the germ is separated from the endosperm. Two halves of the endosperm are obtained from each seed and are known as undehusked guar splits.
RefinedGuar Splits: When the fine layer of fibrous material, which forms the husk, is removed and separated from the endosperm halves by polishing, refined guar splits are obtained.

Guar Powder: The refined guar splits are then treated and grounded into powders by a variety of routes and processing techniques, depending upon the end product desired.

Guar Meal: A by-product of guar processing, guar meal (mixture of husks and germ) is rich a source of protein. It is used for cattle as well as poultry feed. Toasting of guar meal improves its nutritive value. It can be used up to 10 per cent in poultry diet and can replace up to 100 per cent protein supplements, such as groundnut cake, in cattle feed. 

The Demand Side of the Market.

The Demand Side of the Market.

When discussing demand, economists like to distinguish between the effects of price changes taken in isolation and the effects of structural changes that shift the relationship between price and demand over time movements along demand curves and shifts in demand curves, if you remember that lecture from your Econ 101 course. The effects of price changes on the quantity demanded are measured by elasticity of demand the percentage change in the quantity of a good demanded as the result of a 1 percent change in its price.
Guar is a good with no important final uses. As an input for industrial uses, is elasticity of demand depends on its share in total production costs, the availability of substitutes, and the elasticity of demand for the final products it goes into oil, gas, and food products.
Together, those factors keep the elasticity of demand low. With regard to its use in energy production, demand for oil and gas is itself inelastic and there appear to be no good substitutes for guar in fracking fluid. Those considerations offset the fact that the share of guar in production costs, as noted above, is substantial. Demand for food products that use guar is more elastic than for oil and gas, and substitutes are available in some cases. For example, the U.S. company TIC Gums offers a product called Ticaloid GR4520 that it claims performs as well as guar gum for industrial baked goods, although at a somewhat higher cost. However that consideration is offset by the fact that guar accounts for only a small share of the cost common foods.
When elasticity of demand is low, short-run changes in market conditions can lead to large fluctuations in price, as happened in the guar market earlier this year.  Also, there were some problems in the futures market that led Indian regulators to suspend trading in March. Reports in the Indian business press suggested attempts to manipulate prices and corner the market. Those transitory influences have now passed, hence the recent decrease in prices.
In the long run, demand responds to trends that operate independently of prices. Over time, population growth and rising incomes throughout the world are likely to increase demand for both food and energy. For food, rising income typically brings substitution of industrial foodstuffs, including those that use guar gum, for home-cooked foods, that do not. At the same time, oil and gas produced by fracking seem certain to increase as a share of all energy. Fracking is as yet widely used only in the United States, but many other regions have oil and gas deposits that could potentially be tapped using the technology.

GLOBAL MARKET OF GUAR

Guar is basically a crop that is cultivated mostly in the arid and semi arid areas as it is drought resistant. That is why the Southern Asian continent suits well to the cultivation of this crop especially the Indian subcontinent. The powder made after refining the gum obtained from the plant makes an important raw material in many industries. This powder has some unique characteristics like grease resistance, thickening agent, capacity to bind water, high viscosity and the capability to function in low temperatures which makes it a highly popular in those sectors. Among other by- products of guar, guar gum powder is the main marketable commodity.
India has been a major player in the context of guar and guar gum in the global market.India’s production contributes to 80% of the world’s total production figuring up to 6 lakh tons.Rajasthan wholly retains the credit for India’s position producing 70% of the production itself.Guar is largely consumed as a vegetable in the Indian subcontinent. It is also used in making pickles.25000 tons of the total production in the country constitutes to the domestic market.
Guar gum has a vast range of industrial applications and the major share of demand comes from various industrial sectors only.
India is the leading net exporter of guar seeds and guar gum. The country exports over 117000 tons of guar and its derivatives, which is comprised by 33000 tons of refined split guar gum, and 84000 tons of treated and pulverized guar gum.
The net worth of the Indian exports is estimated over Rs 500 crores.
The production list of guar is dominated by India as a leading producer of this crop. The consumption pattern of guar seeds is largely influenced by the demands from the petroleum industry of United States of America and the oil fields in the Middle East as the derivative products of these seeds are quite useful in the petroleum drilling industries.
United States alone constitute to around 40 thousand tons of guar and its derivatives demand.
Also, in rest of the world, the trend of consumption has increased with time that has lead to the introduction of this crop in many countries.

The major importing countries of Indian Guar Gum and its derivatives are

United States of America,Germany,France,United Kingdom,South Africa,Netherlands,
Italy,Japan,T Canada, China, Chile, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom,  Ireland, Sweden, Greece, Portugal, Mexico.

GUAR GUM FOR HEALTH

The claimed effect is “impact on blood glucose/glycaemic control/glycaemic response”. The target population is assumed to be the general population. In the context of the proposed wordings, the Panel assumes that the claimed effect refers to long-term maintenance or achievement of normal blood glucose concentrations. The Panel considers that long-term maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations is a beneficial physiological effect. In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that the only study presented investigated longterm effects of guar gum on fasting blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin, the latter being an appropriate measure to assess long-term blood glucose control, and found no effect of guar gum consumption at doses eight times higher than proposed in the conditions of use.On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of guar gum and long-term maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations.Increase in satiety The claimed effect is “satiety”. The target population is assumed to be individuals who need to control their energy intake. In the context of this opinion, satiety is interpreted as the decrease in the motivation to eat after consumption of food leading to a reduction in energy intake. The Panel considers that an increase in satiety might be a beneficial physiological effect.In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that no controlled studies assessing the effects of guar gum consumption on appetite ratings and subsequent energy intake have been presented.On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of guar gum and increased satiety.Maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations The claimed effect is “cholesterol maintenance”. The target population is assumed to be the general population. In the context of the proposed wordings, the Panel notes that the claimed effect refers to maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations. The Panel considers that maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations is a beneficial physiological effect.On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has been established between the consumption of guar gum and the reduction of blood cholesterol concentrations. 
In order to bear a claim, foods should provide at least 10 g per day of guar gum in one or more 
servings. The target population is adults.
KEY WORDS
Guar gum, blood glucose, satiety, cholesterol, 

Industrial used of Guar Gum

Industrial Applications of Guar Gum 

Guar gum and its derivatives are widely used in various industries as per its needs. Its used in industries such as food, textile, pharmaceuticals, personal care, health  care, nutrition, cosmetics, paper, explosives, mining and oil well drilling. Guar gum 
mainly functions as a thickener, emulsifier, stabilizer, binding agent, gelling agent, natural fiber, flocculant, fracturing agent etc. in the above-mentioned industries Applications of Food Grade Guar Gum Powder/ Derivatives. 

Food Industry 
In food Industry guar gum / derivatives is used as gelling, viscosifying, thickening, clouding and binding agent as well as used for stabilization, emulsification, preservation, water retention, enhancement of water soluble fiber content etc. Some food products in which guar gum powder is used are:Ice cream, soft drinks & concentrates, puddings Chocolate milk, flavored milk .
Pharmaceutical Industry 
Guar gum or its derivatives are used in pharmaceutical industries as gelling / viscosifying / thickening, suspension, stabilization, emulsification, preservation, water retention / water phase control, binding, clouding/bodying, process aid, pour control for suspensions, anti-acid formulations, tablet binding & disintegration agent, controlled drug delivery systems, slimming aids, nutritional foods etc. Guar gum is an important non-caloric source of soluble dietary fiber. Guar gum powder is widely used in capsules as dietary fiber. Fiber is a very imprtant element of any healthy diet. It is useful in clear the intestinal system since fiber cannot be digested. This keeps the intestines functioning properly and also improves certain disorders and ailments. All natural fiber diet works with body to achieve a feeling of fullness and to reduce hunger. Its synergistic mix of guar gum and fiber mixture when taken with water expands in stomach to produce a feeling of fullness.   

Cosmetic Industry 
Guar gum or its derivatives being used as a thickener, protective colloid and conditioner in hair/skin care products, creams, shampoos and lotions. Beside this, these are also used in toothpaste and shaving cream for easy extruding from the container tube. 


Applications of Industrial Grade Guar Gum Powder/ Derivatives 

In industrial applications, guar gum powder/derivatives utilized as thickening agent, sizing agent, wet-end strength additive, gelling agent and water barrier, flocculation aid for waste water treatment, as emulsifier, binder. Also used for mud formulations, enhanced oil recovery, polymer flooding, well treatment, lost circulation plugging etc. Guar gum industrial grade powder is used in industries such as textile printing & sizing, fire fighting, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, printing inks, mosquito mats, synthetic resins, paper industry, battery electrolytes, water treatment, floatation agent, water paint, carpet printing, oil well drilling, explosives, mining etc. 

Paper Industry 
Guar gum provides better properties compared to substitutes.It gives denser surface to the paper used for printing.Guar gum imparts improved erasive and writing properties, better bonding strength and increased hardness.Due to improved adhesion, it gives better breaking, mullen and folding strengths. 

Textile Industry 
Guar gum gives excellent film forming and thickening properties when used for textile sizing, finishing and printing.It reduces warp breakage, reduces dusting while sizing and gives better efficiency in production. 

Oil Field Industry 
Industrial grade guar gum powder/derivatives are use in oil well fracturing, oil well stimulation, mud drilling and industrial applications and preparations as a stabilizer, thickener and suspending agent. It is a natural, fast hydrating dispersible guar gum and is diesel slurriable.13in the oil field industry, guar gum is used as a surfactant,synthetic polymer and deformer ideally suited for all rheological requirements of water-based and brinebased drilling fluids. High viscosity guar gum products are used as drilling aids in oil well drilling, geological drilling and water drilling. These products are used as viscosifiers to maintain drilling mud iscosities that enable drilling fluids to remove drill waste from deep holes.Guar gum products also reduce friction in the holes,and so minimizing power requirements. Some guar gum derivatives act to minimize water loss should occur in broken geological formations.Metallurgical and Mining Industry Guar gum is widely used as a flocculants to produce liquid solid separation.Guar gum is also used in flotation. It acts as a depressant for talc or insoluble gangue mined along with the valuable minerals. 

Explosive Industry 
Gelling agent for gel sausage type explosives and pump able slurry explosives.Water blocking agent in nitro-glycerine, slurry explosives, ammonium nitrate and dynamite explosives- by mixing guar gum in mmonium nitrate, nitro-glycerine and oil explosives, even in wet conditions, explosive property is maintained. This is due to the better swelling, water blocking and gelling properties of guar gum. Note: The author has used various references in the preparation of this article. For further details please contact him. ACI AGRO SOLUTION