Nigeria’s semase hits record high in 2023 on the back of favorable prices

NIGERIA –Nigeria’s sesame harvest is expected to amount to 581,000 tonnes in 2023, 4.3% more than a year earlier (557,000 tonnes), marking the third season of consecutive increase in the harvest.

This is according to AFEX Commodities Exchange (AFEX), the country’s first private agricultural commodities exchange, in a special report published last November.

Sesame seeds, or beni-seeds as they are locally known, are among the most commercially viable crops critical to the agricultural economy of Nigeria.

Apparently, Nigeria is the leading producer of sesame in West Africa. In the country, oilseeds are also one of the main agricultural export products with cocoa and cashew nuts.

According to the company, this production is the result of a 2% increase in the area dedicated to cultivation due to the improvement in the purchase price of seeds. sesame which further stimulated the interest of small farmers.

“The price of sesame seeds has seen a remarkable increase, with an increase of around 40% from one season to the next. This substantial increase in prices has encouraged farmers to devote more land to sesame production, to take advantage of favorable market conditions,” the report reads. 

Additionally, the report noted favorable weather conditions and a good distribution of rainfall in the main producing states such as Jigawa and Benue.

Meanwhile, the private agricultural commodities exchange indicates that the growing demand for sesame in the international market has created a lucrative outlet for Nigerian producers. 

Indeed, the seed is experiencing renewed interest in the food industry where it is used as a confectionery filling, in baked goods, and in the form of oil for its beneficial health properties. 

In 2022, Nigeria exported nearly 140 billion naira (US$146.1 million) worth of raw materials mainly to China, Japan, Vietnam, Turkey, Greece, and Germany according to ‘AFEX.

According to a recent report by the International Trade Centre (ITC), Nigeria’s sesame oil and fractions exports improved marginally to US$13,877,000 in 2022.

China remains the biggest importer of sesame seeds from Nigeria.  According to ITC’s – Trade Map, which provides statistics for international business development, China imported sesame oil valued at US$9,499,000 in 2018, US$7,136,000 in 2019; US$11,878,000 in 2020, and US$1,374,000 in 2021.

Globally, the ITC’s Export Potential Map says the total untapped export potential of sesame seeds stands at US$3.2 billion. 

For all the latest grains industry news from Africa, the Middle East, and the World, subscribe to our weekly NEWSLETTERS, follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.