Telangana: Unemployed youths take to selling gum from rain trees

KARIMNAGAR:  On the Karimnagar-Warangal highway, several youths appear to be busy collecting gum from branches of roadside trees, leaving the observing locals stumped. These youths have come to the district all the way from West Bengal to extract gum from Nidra Ganneru trees (Rain trees), which is in demand with companies that produce shoe polish.

The youths are engaged in the activity along several stretches of the road. Asad, one of the youths, told Express that these trees, found in Telangana, have good quantities of gum in them.“We will spend about one month collecting the gum, after which we will sell it at Rs 120 per kg. It is a good revenue for us,” said another youth from the group. To extract the gum, they are peeling the bark from weakened branches of Rain trees.

Earlier, the youths were working at various companies in Hyderabad, but lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Based on suggestions from experts and shoe making firms, they took up the current activity.Meanwhile, after getting to know that gum is prized by shoe polish units, locals have also started collecting them. After its extraction, the gum is mixed in water and then applied to footwear, giving it a natural shine.

Retired forest officer G Narsaiah told Express that Rain trees, whose scientific name is Samanea Saman, were grown as part of avenue plantation and belong to the Fabaceae family.