Guar is grown in the arid and semi-arid regions, particularly in north-western states of India: Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh. Rajasthan has maximum area (1682 th ha) under the crop with highest production (395 th tonnes).

The plant is hardy, drought-tolerant, with 3 to 6 ft high vertical stalk. Wide range of soils from deep sandy to clay very well support its growth.

Galactomannan (guar gum) a high molecular weight carbohydrate polymer made up of a large number of mannose and galactose units linked together.

It is a straight chain of mannose branched at regular intervals with single membered galactose units on alternate mannose units. The mannose units are joined to each other by means of beta (1-4) glucosidic linkages, galactose branching is through an alpha (1-6) linkage.

The long straight chain nature of the molecule, combined with its regular side branching distinguishes it from other natural polymers and makes it a unique versatile natural colloids, as well as base polymer, from which many derivatives are produced.