Monday, January 3, 2011

Export Product Profile: Sesame Seeds

Description: Sesame seeds (or sesamum or benniseed) are the seeds of the tropical annual Sesamum indicum. The species has a long history of cultivation, mostly for its yield of oil. The original area of domestication of sesame is obscure but it seems likely to have first been brought into cultivation in Asia or India.

The plant is usually 60 to 120cm tall and the fruit is a dehiscent capsule held close to the stem. When ripe, the capsule shatters to release a number of small seeds. The seeds are protected by a fibrous ‘hull’ or skin, which may be whitish to brown or black depending on the variety. 1000 seeds weigh some 4-8g. The seeds have a high oil content of 44-60%.

Harvest: Harvesting begins in late December and continues through July. Each producing area stated in the next section below (Locations) has only one season.

Locations: The major producing areas in order of priority are Nasarawa, Jigawa and Benue States. Other important areas of production are found in Yobe, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Gombe and Plateau States. The major marketing centers (towns and states) of sesame seeds in Nigeria.

Town

State

Doma

Nasarawa

Malam-Madori

Jigawa

Potiskum

Yobe

Oturkpo

Benue

Dawanau

Kano

Types/Varieties: There are 3 types of sesame (and these include: White, Black and Brown/Mixed sesame seeds). However only two of these are majorly produced in Nigeria and these includes;

1. White/raw = Food-grade used in bakery industry. 98-100% whitest grade seeds.

2. Brown/mixed = primarily oil-grade.

The White (Food Grade) seed is grown around the towns of Keffi, Lafia/Makurdi, Doma, and in Nassarawa, Taraba, and Benue States. It is easier to sort and the Fumani/Denin people consume sesame locally. The Brown/mixed grows in the North, in Kano State and in Jigawa State near Hadejia, and somewhat in the southern part of Katsina State.

Specifications

Features

% percentage

Oil content

45-60% min

Impurities

0-2%max

Free fatty acid (FFA)

1-2%max

Moisture content

6-9% max

Uses: Most sesame is processed directly into oil by the grower or within the producing region, but can also be sold in various stages of processing, for various uses, such as meal, paste, confections, and bakery products.

Input

Products

Description and Uses

Seeds

Confectionery

Fried seeds may be bound together with sugar syrup to give sweetmeats.

Seeds

Biscuits

The whole seeds can be baked into biscuits.

(Hulled) seeds

Bakery

Popular in northern Europe either incorporated into breads or as decorative toppings. May be used hulled or whole.

Seeds, sometimes roasted

Oil

Particularly used in oriental cuisine. The flavor is quite strong and rarely compatible with traditional Western style cooking but also used as a salad oil.

Oil

Medicinal treatment

Ulcers and burns

Oil

Margarine

Once an important use, now other cheaper vegetable oils are available

Oil

Aerosol

Reported use as a synergist for pyrethrum sprays

Low grade oil

Various

Soaps paints, lubricants, and illuminants. Local uses, of no importance in international trade

Hulled seeds

Tahini

A paste of sesame seeds which is used as an ingredient in eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods

Tahini

Dips &spreads

Various ingredients, such as chickpeas or eggplants, are added to Tahini to make dips and spreads such as hummus

Tahini

Halva

A sweet made from Tahini and sugar with other added flavorings

Cake

Animal feed

Protein rich useful supplement

Cake from hulled seeds

Ingredient

Used in some Indian cooking. Also as a snack in, for example, the Nigerian Kulikuli

Export market: The major importer of sesame seeds in the world is Japan while the major consuming markets in the EU are Greece, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. In the past, the bulk of sesame was imported from China. Increasingly, other sources such as India, Sudan and, most recently, Pakistan, are taking the market share. The USA is the fifth largest import market with a steady demand for over 50,000 tonnes per year.

Export Price: The export free on board price of sesame seed varies from USD 900 -1400/MT depending on the type and form of the sesame seed and the negotiation made with the buyers.

Local price: local price per metric tonne MT of sesame seed varies from NGN80,000.00 during the peak season to about NGN120,000.00 at the off season. However local price when delivered EXW Lagos (delivered in Lagos) could range from NGN 130,000 – 160,000.00.

12 comments:

  1. found you site over misterwong... but one question do you have twitter or facebook, where i can be connected with you blog...? thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. You can be connected to us via this facebook page

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/3T-Impex-Consulting/145144782175070?v=wall

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  3. Hello Mr. Ayemibo,

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    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for your post on this blog.
    In response to your request,
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    ReplyDelete
  5. Can u give me the prices for different sesame seeds.bankole o.m

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kindly send this request in a mail to bayemibo@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Sesame you talked about seemed to be a seed or grain that can only be grown in the Northern part of Nigeria. Can it be grown in the Southern part of the country in view of the climatic conditions of the South?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes it can be grown in the south. I know some people have done that in Oyo state.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you amazing blog, do you have twitter, facebook or something similar where i can follow your blog

    Sandro Heckler

    ReplyDelete
  10. Here is our Facebook URL:
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/3T-Impex-Consulting/145144782175070

    ReplyDelete
  11. need to import white sesame seed, need FOB Lagos port, or any Nigerian port, include certificates
    my email: gencotank@gmail.com , tele: 002 01099646357,

    ReplyDelete