China imports 50% of the world’s sesame seeds, 90% comes from Africa, and 90%
Hundreds of thousands of foreigners are paying attention
In recent years, China's dependence on sesame imports has remained high. In 2020, my country's sesame imports will be 1.0164 million tons;
From January to October 2021, China's sesame import volume was 1.0027 million tons, an increase of 11.59% year-on-year.
Statistics from the China National Grain and Oils Information Center show that sesame is China's fourth largest imported edible oilseed variety. Statistics show that China's sesame purchases account for 50% of the world's total, 90% of which come from Africa. Sudan, Niger, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Togo are China's top five import sources.
90% of China's imported sesame enters the customs through Qingdao Port in Shandong, and there are a large number of sesame importers and production and processing enterprises in the vicinity of Qingdao.
Sesame production in Africa has increased this century due to surging demand from China. A Chinese businessman who has been in Africa for many years pointed out that the African continent has plenty of sunshine and suitable soil. The yield of sesame is directly linked to the local geographical environment. Many African sesame suppliers are themselves big agricultural countries.
The African continent has a hot and dry climate, sufficient sunshine time, vast land and sufficient labor resources, which provide various convenient conditions for the growth of sesame. With Sudan at the top, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Mozambique, Uganda and other African countries regard sesame as a pillar industry in agriculture.
Since 2005, China has successively opened access to sesame imports to 20 African countries, including Egypt, Nigeria, and Uganda, among which most countries have implemented tariff-free treatment. The generous policies have promoted a substantial increase in African sesame imports. In this regard, some African countries have also formulated relevant subsidy policies, which greatly promoted the enthusiasm of local farmers to grow sesame.
At present, the situation in some African countries is unstable. Will it affect the supply of sesame? He Dongping, president of the Oils and Oils Branch of the China Cereals and Oils Society and a professor at Wuhan University of Light Industry, said, "Under the market expectation that China's sesame imports are large and stable, these countries will maintain the acreage of sesame seeds, and sesame oil is used as a seasoning oil. For families , the overall demand is not large. From this point of view, there will be no shortage of sesame oil in China. The impact will not be great.”
Common sense popularization:
Sudan: largest planted area
Sesame production in Sudan is concentrated on the clay plains in the east and center, with a total area of more than 2.5 million hectares, accounting for about 40% of Africa, ranking first among African countries.
Ethiopia: Largest production
Ethiopia is the largest sesame producer in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. "Natural and organic" is its unique label. The country's sesame seeds are mainly grown in the lowlands of the northwest and southwest. Its white sesame is world-famous for its sweet taste and high oil yield, making it popular.
Nigeria: Highest oil production rate
Sesame is Nigeria's third most important export commodity. It has the highest oil production rate and huge demand in the international market. It is the most important export agricultural product. At present, Nigeria's sesame planting area is growing steadily, and there is still great potential for increasing production.
Tanzania: highest yield
Most areas in Tanzania are suitable for the growth of sesame. The government attaches great importance to the development of the sesame industry. The agricultural sector has improved seeds, improved planting techniques, and trained farmers. The yield is as high as 1 ton per hectare, which is the region with the highest sesame yield in Africa.
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