[Domestic News] Africa's sesame production accounts for over 60% of the global total, mainly exported to China

Africa has the most undeveloped land in the world, with over 800 million hectares of arable land, of which over 200 million hectares are already cultivated. However, many Africans choose to grow sesame instead of rice, which can provide food and sustenance.

Actually, it's not that Africans don't want to grow rice, but it's because sesame has many advantages and benefits. Africa is located near the Tropic of Cancer in the north, mainly a hot and arid desert climate, with an average temperature of up to 35-40 degrees, which is very suitable for the growth of sesame, a crop that is tolerant to high temperatures and drought. Moreover, compared to other grain crops, sesame is very easy to manage. As long as it is planted, it can be harvested by simply beating it when it matures. Additionally, sesame seeds will fall off and develop into new seeds with the watering of sun and rain, which can skip the step of planting sesame.

The sesame genus, which belongs to the sesame family, has about 20 species, the vast majority of which are distributed on the African continent south of the Sahara Desert. Later, it was spread to various parts of the world, including China, through the new route of history and the Silk Road.

Currently, nearly 65% of sesame production in the world comes from Africa, with Ethiopia ranking first, followed by Sudan, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Nigeria, among others, covering an area of over 30 million square kilometers. For example, Tanzania, a single African country, supplies nearly 14% of the world's sesame.

In Ethiopia, the most famous variety is white sesame, with an oil yield of over 50%, while the oil yield of domestically produced white sesame in China is only 45%, making Ethiopia the largest source of imported sesame for China.

Data shows that China's sesame purchases account for 50% of the world's total, 90% of which comes from Africa. From January to October 2021, China's sesame imports were 1.0027 million tons, an increase of 11.59% year-on-year.

China has a high dependence on sesame imports. Currently, it is the peak season for domestic market transactions, and the market is in a situation of short supply, hence the enormous demand for imported products.

The main areas suitable for sesame cultivation in China are mainly distributed in Henan, Hubei, Anhui, and other regions, with a relatively small planting area, and local farmers' enthusiasm for planting sesame is not very high. Moreover, domestic demand for sesame is very high, while sesame from Africa is both of good quality and affordable.

On the other hand, Africa also relies on sesame for foreign exchange income, enabling local people to afford to buy more other food. Especially since 2005, China has successively opened sesame import access to 20 African countries, including Egypt, Nigeria, and Uganda, among others, most of which enjoy duty-free treatment, and preferential policies have greatly promoted the increase in African sesame imports.

According to customs statistics, China's imports in August 2022 were 72,014.943 tons, a decrease of 0.74% year-on-year and an increase of 77.07% month-on-month. The import value was 114,734,701 US dollars, an increase of 20.35% year-on-year and an increase of 83.52% month-on-month.

Currently, Tanzania and Sudan are the main sources of sesame imports in China from Africa. According to the import data in August, 29,779.696 tons were imported from Tanzania, accounting for 41.35%; 12,160.36 tons were imported from Sudan, accounting for 16.89%; 4,275 tons were imported from Ethiopia, accounting for 13.93%; 7,433.19 tons were imported from Niger, accounting for 10.32%; 5,314.14 tons were imported from India, accounting for 7.38%; 2,283 tons were imported from Mozambique, accounting for 3.17%; and 1.57% of the total import volume was imported from Myanmar. Currently, some African countries are still China's largest importing countries for sesame, with high-quality products and low prices, which are favored by downstream buyers in China. It is expected that the import of sesame will still be dominated by major producing countries in Africa in the future.

(Source: China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo ComprehensiveClick to view)