Sudan's eruption into conflict has left international consumer goods makers racing to shore up supplies of gum arabic, one of the country's most sought-after products and a key ingredient in everything from fizzy drinks to candy and cosmetics.
About 70% of the world's supply of gum arabic, for which there are few substitutes, comes from the acacia trees in the Sahel region that runs through Africa's third-largest country, which is being torn apart by fighting between the army and a paramilitary force.
Wary of Sudan's persistent insecurity, companies dependent on the product, such as Coca Cola and PepsiCo, have long stockpiled supplies, some keeping between three-to-six-months worth to avoid being caught short, exporters and industry sources said.