Why is mastic gum so expensive?

Recognized for its health benefits and medicinal properties since ancient times, mastic gum’s varied cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and culinary uses have contributed to growing demand among consumers in recent years.

Also called mastiha, mastic gum is the natural resin produced by mastic trees (Pistacia lentiscus). Compared to conventional chewing gum, mastic gum comes with a higher price tag - one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of raw mastic resin retails for about USD $350.¹

But what makes mastic gum so expensive?

Mastic is produced only on the Greek island of Chios, and producing mastic gum is a labor-intensive process that relies on traditional methods. Mastic trees grow slowly, take years to produce mastic resin, and face threats from wildfires, all contributing to a limited supply of mastic gum.

In this article, we explain why these factors and others make mastic gum expensive.

Scarce supply

One of the main reasons why mastic gum is so expensive is that there is high demand and a limited supply. Below are the key factors contributing to the scarce supply of mastic gum globally.

Mastic trees grow in a small geographic area

Native to the Mediterranean region, mastic trees grow only in the southern part of Chios island in Greece. Mastic trees cover 20,000 acres (around 31 square miles) on Chios.² As a result of the limited growing area, only about 200-220 metric tons of mastic are produced each year.^{1 3}

Although people have tried growing mastic trees in other parts of the world, they haven’t been able to replicate the quality or quantity produced on Chios. The distinct climate of Chios and its rocky soil produce ideal growing conditions for mastic trees.⁴

Moreover, growers actively selected and propagated trees with the best mastic-producing qualities over centuries, which created the Chia variety of mastic trees growing there today.⁵

Limited resin production

Not only is there a limited number of mastic trees, but each tree produces only 150-200 grams of mastic resin per year, on average.⁶

Additionally, mastic trees take five to seven years before they start producing resin and up to about 15 years before they reach peak resin production. While the trees can live over 100 years, their resin yield drops after they reach age 50.⁶

Environmental threats

Because mastic trees grow in a limited area, environmental threats like rains and wildfires can severely impact production, supply, and the resulting market price.

Mastic trees thrive in southern Chios’s dry summer climate. If it rains before the mastic resin has had the chance to mature and crystallize, the resin turns to oil, and the product is ruined.^{5 6}

Wildfires also pose a significant threat to mastic production. In 2012, wildfires destroyed 40% of mastic orchards on Chios.⁶ The fire resulted in economic losses of 4 million euros, according to the OECD.

Producing mastic is a labor-intensive process

From cultivation and harvesting to cleaning and processing, mastic production is labor-intensive and requires a unique skill set, which drives up the cost of the end product.

Cultivation

Mastic farmers in Chios continue to use traditional cultivation practices that have been passed down through generations. These processes are time-consuming and labor-intensive, and they require specific knowledge and techniques that have been honed through centuries of mastic cultivation.

Growers must clear and maintain the land in the mastic orchards by hand, as the remote location and hilly terrain of Chios don’t allow for the use of any industrial machinery in mastic tree farming. Growers then spread calcium carbonate around each tree to help keep resin drops clean when they fall to the ground.

Farmers carefully cut into the trees by hand starting in July, making as many as 600 incisions per tree.¹ As the tree heals from these cuts, it releases resinous tree sap from the incisions, which then dries and hardens into mastic droplets.

Harvest & production

Mastic tree resin is collected by hand and sifted using a sieve to separate the mastic droplets from the soil. The resin is then stored and allowed to dry for around six months, during which it becomes less sticky and easier to sort and process.

Next, grandmothers in the mastic-producing villages clean and sort the resin by hand, separating the drops by size. This process can take several months and, since cleaner resin sells for a higher price, it requires experience and attention to detail.¹

After all of these steps, the mastic is sent to a larger processing facility, where it’s further cleaned, packaged, and prepared for sale and export.

Small labor pool

Since the mastic villages are small island communities, there are not a lot of workers available to assist with mastic production. Farmers require workers for around four to five months out of the year and often need to bring in foreign workers to help with mastic collection and processing.⁶

Post-production expenses

Following mastic’s cultivation and production costs, there are additional expenses involved in the sale and distribution of mastic gum. These include shipping costs, import tariffs, and product loss. Learn more about each of these factors below.

Import tariffs and shipping costs

Around 70-80% of mastic produced in Chios each year is exported, and 80% of that is exported to countries outside of the European Union.^{1 7} As a result, many of the end markets charge import tariffs on mastic, which contributes to the final cost for the consumer.

Shipping is also a factor in the price of mastic gum. Since mastic originates from the Aegean island of Chios, it must first be shipped to a larger port before it’s distributed around the globe.

Trade agreements & Geographical Indication protection

EU trade agreements and mastiha’s Geographical Indication designation help prevent cheaper imitation products from being sold in important markets, including Japan, Canada, and Korea. This means that when you buy Chios mastic gum, you pay a higher price but know you are getting a genuine product.⁷

Product loss

Since mastic is sensitive to heat, exposure to high temperatures during transportation and storage can result in product loss. The financial impacts of this risk for producers and sellers contribute to the cost of the end product.

Conclusion

Produced only on Chios island in Greece, mastic gum’s price stems from high consumer demand and a limited supply of mastic. Growing, harvesting, cleaning, and processing mastic are labor-intensive, and additional environmental threats like rains and wildfires make it expensive to produce mastic gum.

Combined with shipping costs, import tariffs, and trade agreements limiting cheap imitation products from flooding the markets, these factors make mastic gum a premium, expensive product.

This article originally appeared online in 2024; it was most recently updated on July 29, 2024, to include current information.

Jon Persson

Jon is one of three co-founders of Greco Gum. He lives part-time in Chios, Greece and enjoys learning about the island’s rich cultural history and sharing it with the rest of the world.

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