Guar Crop in India Description: Guar or Cluster bean (Cyamposis tetragonoloba) is a drought tolerant annual legume crop sown as kharif crop in India. It is an annual plant, about 4 feet high, vertically stalked, with large leaves and clusters of pods. Each pod is about 5-8 cm long and has on an average 6-9 small grayish spherical shaped seeds known as Guar Seeds. Guar Seed Extracts Guar seed consists of three parts, germ (43-47%), endosperm (35-42%) and the husk (14-17%). The seeds are processed in various stages like roasting, sieving and polishing. The germ is separated from the endosperm and the two halves of endosperm are called underused guar splits. The thin layer on the endosperm splits is removed by polishing and refined guar splits are obtained, and through various processes the guar powder is extracted which is used in various industries. Uses: 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 is produced from the endosperm, which is about 35-42 % 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 meal: A by-product of the Guar processing is Guar meal (mixture of husks and germ), which is a potential source of protein. It is the major by-product that is obtained after seed processing in to gum. Industrial uses: It includes the use of guar gum in oil well drilling, textile, printing, paper making, explosives, mining, water treatment, etc. These sectors consume 50-55 percent of guar gum. Food:Human and animal foods like frozen foods, bakeries, dairy products, canned products, beverages, etc., which consume 35-40% of the gum produced. Pharmaceuticals: It is used in diabetic treatment, slimming aids and ointments, consuming about 5% of the total guar gum. Cosmetics and miscellaneous: It is also used in hair setting, soaping, shampoos, lipsticks, mosquito coils, consuming the remaining 5% of the guar gum. Crop Season: In India Guar is cultivated as a kharif crop. The sowing period is start in the months July and August right after the first shower of the monsoon and the harvesting is done in the months of October and November. Guar crop requires fertile, medium textured sandy soil types and a hot and dry climate to grow and prosper well. Also it needs a right and appropriate amount of rainfall, as it is a key factor for a high yield. It is a short duration crop and is harvested within 3 to 4 months of its plantation. Major Producing Countries: India is the largest producer of the guar and contributes about 80% of the world’s total production. Pakistan, USA, South Africa, Morocco and Sudan are the other producers which contribute very less to the overall production. Major Guar Producing States In India; Guar seed is mainly grown in the northwestern parts of the country like Rajasthan (Jodhpur, Ganganagar, Sirohi, Dausa, Bikaner, Hanumangarh and Jhunjhunu districts), Gujarat (Kutch, Banaskantha, parts of Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Vadodara and Ahmadabad districts), Haryana (Bhiwani, Gurgaon, Mahendragarh and Rewari districts) and Punjab (Bhatinda, Ferozpur, Muktsar and Mansa districts). Rajasthan is the largest producer of guar contributing 70 % of total production remaining coming from Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. Major Markets of Guar In India: Shri Ganganagar, Hissar, Alwar, Sirsa, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Mehsana, Ahmadabad are the major markets for Guar seed in India. Commodities Exchanges: Guar is also traded in the various Indian commodity exchanges like National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange ltd ( NCDEX), Multi Commodity Exchange of India ltd ( MCX), National Multi Commodity Exchange of India ltd ( NMCE) and Bikaner Commodity Exchange Ltd. ( BCEL). International Trade of Guar: International trade of guar is highly influenced by India and Pakistan both are the major exporters. Export: India is the leading exporter of guar seeds and guar gum followed by Pakistan. These two sub continental countries contribute near about 75-80% of World export. Import: The major importing countries of guar gum and its derivatives are USA, Germany, Italy, China, Denmark, France, UK, Netherlands, Japan and South Africa.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 04:18:02 +0000