Rapid Support Forces Seize Production Areas, Paralyse El Obeid Gum Arabic Market

RSF advances into western states and takeover of key producing areas have effectively paralysed Sudan’s historic gum arabic trade centred on El Obeid, blocking movement of stockpiles, collapsing contracts and preventing large export deals from being met.

“El Obeid / Amsterdam — The expansion of Sudan's war and the takeover of key production areas by the Rapid Support Forces have brought the gum arabic market in El Obeid to a near standstill, traders say, threatening one of the country's most important export commodities*”

allAfrica

Pre-war annual exports are placed at roughly 100,000–150,000 tonnes, but the conflict and RSF control have cut flows sharply and forced buyers and exporters to exit the market, leaving the sector unable to fulfil typical 50,000–100,000-tonne contracts.

allAfrica

Traders and producers report that routes to army-held markets are blocked by RSF checkpoints and the broader fighting has halted normal harvest and trade operations across the gum belt.

The market shock shows up in collapsing prices and vanished demand: reported examples range from sharp producer-to-market disparities to a general exit by major buyers and exporters.

allAfrica gives concrete market examples, such as a quintal of hashab falling in El Obeid, talha fetching minimal sums in production zones compared with much higher export prices, and buyers exiting.

Dabanga Radio TV Online

Dabanga points to volatile global demand, the failure of lower-quality grades to find buyers, and the impossibility of meeting large export contracts under current conditions.

The human and economic consequences are severe: thousands of jobs across collection, transport, storage, marketing and export have been lost, harvests were halted, and many producers have been pushed into displacement and risky livelihoods such as informal gold mining and cutting acacia trees for charcoal.

“El Obeid / Amsterdam — The expansion of Sudan's war and the takeover of key production areas by the Rapid Support Forces have brought the gum arabic market in El Obeid to a near standstill, traders say, threatening one of the country's most important export commodities*”

allAfrica

allAfrica documents specific instances of looting, noting an RSF attack on En Nahud reportedly seized more than 1,000 tonnes.

Dabanga stresses how the downturn increased social vulnerability, displacement and smuggling, amplifying food‑security and income risks in rural communities.

Responses are uneven: activists and producers call for stronger protections, pricing transparency and international recognition of the crisis as both an economic and rights issue.

Regional authorities such as Blue Nile have signalled production plans, launching the new harvest in Khor Dunia with a pledge of about 11,000 tonnes and reforestation and seed projects.

Dabanga Radio TV Online

Both sources warn recovery depends on improved security, restored routes and market confidence.

Attempts to reroute exports via neighbouring countries have so far been costly and constrained by weak demand.

Traders caution the sector will struggle without those changes.