Burkina Faso reduces the floor price of sesame by 14.4% for 2025/2026 season
In the country, the oilseed is also one of the leading agricultural exports, along with cotton and cashew nuts.
BURKINA FASO – Burkina Faso, Africa’s fourth-largest sesame producer after Sudan, Nigeria, and Tanzania, has announced a 14.4% reduction in the floor price for sesame for the 2025/2026 marketing season, lowering it from 625 CFA francs per kilogram to 535 CFA francs per kilogram.
The Burkinabe Council made this decision for the Agropastoral and Fisheries Sectors, effective from November 8, 2025, the official start of the season.
The price adjustment is a response to global market conditions, characterized by a saturated sesame market and falling international prices, particularly due to weak demand from China, the dominant player in global sesame imports.
The Council stated that the floor price was set after careful analysis of market trends, aiming to protect producers from market fluctuations while ensuring they receive a minimum income.
Despite the reduction, the authorities expressed optimism about the upcoming season, describing it as offering promising prospects for sesame producers and stakeholders across the value chain.
The move reflects broader global sesame market dynamics, with a surplus expected in 2025 driven by increased production from several African countries, including Burkina Faso.
An independent consultancy, N’kalo, highlighted that the price downtrend is likely to continue in the near term, with quotes for West African white sesame already dropping below US$1,000 per ton FOB, about 170 CFA francs per kilogram lower than the previous year.
Burkina Faso’s sesame sector has been growing steadily, with exports reaching nearly 50,000 tons in 2024 and generating around 43.1 billion CFA francs (approximately US$76 million) in revenue.
Production has increased by over 30% from 186,449 tons in 2021 to 247,157 tons in 2023, indicating robust expansion despite the challenging pricing environment.
The floor price reduction is designed to keep the local market competitive while cushioning producers amid external price pressures.
It also aligns with the government’s strategy to sustain agricultural production, enhance market stability, and safeguard farmers’ livelihoods through prudent price-setting amid volatile global conditions.
This price adjustment underscores the interconnected nature of Burkina Faso’s agricultural sector with global commodity markets and highlights ongoing efforts to balance producer welfare with market realities.
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