Sesame Production: I Step by Step Guide I Available Market I Trade Performance

Muhammed Alhassan

Sesame is a very profitable and easy to farm.” A profitability analysis shows that sesame seed cultivation generates N2.08 for every N1 invested.

Introduction:

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L) is an annual flowering plant that is cultivated for its seeds, grows in pods, and is believed to be the oldest cultivated oilseed in the world. Although with a doubtful origin, it is widely believed to have originated from Africa. Sesame is often called by different names based on the location, some of its common names are Benniseed, Gingilly, Simsim, Tahini, and Til. Sesame was introduced to Nigeria after the Second World War and was mostly cultivated as a minor crop in the Northern and Central parts of Nigeria until 1974 when it began to gain prominence as a major cash crop. Although sesame cultivation is on the increase in terms of areas cultivated, its full potential is yet to be explored in Nigeria due to a lack of local farmers’ adherence to best farm practices suitable to its growth.

Importance:

Sesame ranks eighth in the world production of edible oil seeds, with higher oil content than other oilseed crops. It is grown mainly for its seeds that contain approximately 50% oil and 25% protein. The presence of some antioxidants (sesamum, sesamolin, and sesamol) makes the oil one of the most stable vegetable oils in the world. In addition to having high oil content. Sesame seed is known for its nutritional and medicinal qualities. The seed contains all essential amino acids and fatty acids and it is a good source of vitamins (pantothenic acid and vitamin E) and minerals such as calcium (1450 mg/100g) and phosphorous (570 mg/100g).

Cultivation and Suitable Farm Practices for Optimal Performance of Sesame in Nigeria

The potential for sesame cultivation in Nigeria is very high as an estimated 3.5 million hectares of the country’s agricultural land are suitable for the production of a sesame seed. Sesame seed should be cultivated on a fairly flat and well-drained loam or loamy soil with a pH range of 5.5-6.7 and at a soil depth of 1.5-2.5cm, depending on the ecological zone, planting should be done between March/April to Mid July/ August. Planting on flatbed should be with inter-row and intra-row spacing of 60cm x 10 cm at a seed rate of 4 kg/ha when drilling or 5 kg/ha when broadcasting. Constant weeding should be carried out for the first 25 days after planting as young seedlings are poor competitors with seed. Thinning should be done three weeks after planting (WAP) to about 2 plants per stand along with the roll. This is for optimal maintenance and to avoid problems associated with high density.

Cultivars of Sesame Seed adapted to Nigeria.

For optimal performance and yield in Nigeria, five cultivars of sesame seeds are advocated for use. They are namely

  • NCRIBEN O1m (530-6-10) with a potential yield of 1000 kg/ha and oil content of 45%
  • NCRIBEN-o2M Type 4with a potential yield of 750 kg/ha and oil content 45%
  • NCRIBENO-31 (Goza-25) with a potential yield of 600 kg/ha and oil content of 40%
  • E8 with a potential yield of 1000 kg/ha and oil content of 50%
  • Yandev-55 with a potential yield of 600 kg/ha and 45%??

Pest and Diseases

Sesame seed like most plants comes under attack by diseases and pests, sesame seed is often attacked by insects, nematodes, fungi, bacteria, and weed. Most of these attacks can cause a great reduction in yield and quality. Common diseases of the sesame seed are Cercospora sesame which causes leaf rot, Fusarium sp which causes leaf rot, collar rot, and sudden death e.t.c.

Sesame

Image by:Research gate

Controlling the diseases can be done by firstly verifying the extent to which the damage has been done, then applying suitable remedies.

Harvesting and processing

Harvesting and processing are key aspects of cultivation as it has a bearing on the yield and quality of the seed. Hence, Sesame seed is best harvested when 50% of its capsules turn yellow, delaying harvesting might result in seed shattering and loss. Manual harvesting is currently being practiced in Nigeria whereby the stem is being cut with a sickle in order to prevent contamination with soil. 70% percent of the sesame seed grown is exported as seed because there is no major processing facility for oil extraction. Locally consumed sesame seeds is processed by different manual means.

Uses and By-product of Sesame

The use of the sesame seed is wide and varied, and are dependent on the parts of the seed being processed. These are some of the uses and by-products of the sesame seed.

The sesame seed is used in confectioneries, biscuits, and in bread making.

Oil extracts from sesame seed have a wide range of application; it is used for cooking, used in medicine for treating ulcer and burns, used in making aerosols and in manufacturing margarine.

Also, low-grade oil is used locally in manufacturing soap paints, lubricants, and illuminants.

The by-product gotten from processing sesame seed is used in making animal feeds.

Beyond these listed applications, sesame is also used in different countries for their local dishes and delicacies.

Advantages and reasons to grow sesame

Sesame is one of the most versatile crops that can be grown in dry arid regions.

It has unique attributes that can fit most cropping systems.

It is an easy crop to consider producing because the equipment used for other crops can be used to grow sesame.

Sesame is more profitable with limited resources than other crops using the same level of resources.

It offers more return for less cost (less risk) than other crops.

A first-time grower can easily experiment with sesame because of the low input requirements without risking too much.

Sesame Seed (image courtesy www.backyarddiva.ca)

Opportunities for Investment in Sesame in Nigeria

Nigeria is the largest producer of sesame seeds in Africa, and the third largest in the world, with about 580,000 tonnes produced in 2017. 90% of sesame seeds produced in Nigeria are exported. In Q1’18, it was the most exported non-oil commodity, contributing 0.57% to the total export value and 36.39% of agricultural exports.

A total of 26 States grow sesame presently in Nigeria with Jigawa, Nassarawa, Benue and Taraba, Benue as the largest producers. As a result of the drought-resistant nature of the plant, sesame thrives well in the Northern part of Nigeria and some parts of the West. It can also be grown in some part of the South East and South South. It has been successfully grown in Ebonyi and Northern part of Cross River States. Major sesame seed importing countries include China, Japan, France, Germany, Australia, Brazil and the United States of America. Demand for organically grown sesame seeds is also growing worldwide, specifically in Germany and Japan, providing a good opportunity for African producers and for the growth of organic sesame seeds. The need for increase in production is apparent given the good prices obtained by farmers and increased demand worldwide.

Trade Performance

Nigerian exports of sesame seeds has been fluctuating between 140,000 – 180,000 tonnes per year in recent years. Most important destinations are located in the Middle East and Asia.

Organized Private Sectors in Sesame Value Chain

The value chain starts with the farmer group which is National Sesame Seed Association of Nigeria (NSSAN). This body primarily promotes the development of sesame seed in Nigeria as major export product since 2002. It acknowledges its large capability to generate large-scale jobs and income in the country. Her core activities include:

·        Empowering sesame seed farmers in Nigeria

·        Promoting and increasing Nigeria’s role as major player in the international sesame market

·        Facilitating a coordinated approach to the Nigerian sesame sector to increase the ease of doing business

However, there exist hundreds of thousands of farmers growing Sesame in different part of Nigeria who are not registered members of NSSAN.

The Existing Gaps

Despite increasing awareness and global demand for Sesame seeds, yield per hectare in Nigeria is 0.5 – 1.0 tonnes; this is small compared to 1.4–1.6 tonnes per hectare in China. This under-performance in yield is due to the knowledge gap and poor crop management practices adopted by small-holder farmers in Nigeria. This is followed by poor processing procedures affecting yields. Currently, Nigeria has only three functional processing plants for sesame seeds (two in Kano and one in Lagos). Aggregate processing capacity of the three plants is 300 tonnes, with each producing 100 tonnes. The poor number of functional processing plants has affected the quality of the seeds, as most seeds are processed manually. For a country that produces over 1200 tonnes per day, manual sorting and processing of these seeds is inefficient. It has also affected the pricing of the two variants.

The Way Forward

Hence, for Nigeria to tap into the huge sesame global market, there is a need for both public and private sectors to engage in massive sesame production and processing; as well as creating an  organized market structure for the value chain leveraging on prevailing government policies.

Available Markets

Nigeria exports 70% of its sesame seed to Japan but according to FAO, sesame seed is imported into over 100 countries ( with particular emphasis on Asian countries), thus creating a vast and untapped market for Nigerian sesame seeds.

Financial Implication

In 2010, Nigeria exported 140,850 metric tonnes of sesame seed grossing an income of $139,000,000, considering the fact that sesame cultivation in Nigeria is a smallholder affair, there is a huge potential for farmers, who know what they are doing to make a lot of money from investing in Sesame seed cultivation.

Constraints and Challenges of Cultivating of Sesame Seed in Nigeria

Although sesame cultivation is a business worth venturing into, it does have some challenges which can pose a threat to the unprepared. They are as follows;

Its yield per hectare is small when compared to other oilseed.

Absence of proper processing plants that can enhance the quality of seeds, especially for export.

Commodity pricing can be unpredictable and prone to fluctuations.

Sesame seed cultivated in Nigeria is limited to only oil extraction and animal feed once exported because confectionery and bakery users have specific seed attributes and requirements such as color and flavor which the Nigerian sesame seed does not meet.

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References

  1. Balasubramaniyan, P. and S.P. Palaniappan. 2001. “Field Crops: An Overview”. In:Principles  and Practices of Agronomy. Agrobios, India
  2. Burden D (2005). Sesame Profile. http//www.cropprofile.mht.Accessed on 26/8/2009.
  3. Chemonic (2002). Overview of the Nigerian sesame industry. A paper prepared by  Chemonic International Incorporation for United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington D.C.
  4. FAO. 2012. “Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nation”. FAOSTAT Database available online  https://faostat fao.org/site/567/default.aspx (28.08.2013).
  5. National Agricultural Extension And Research Liaison Services Federal Ministry Of Agriculture And Water Resources Ahmadu Bello University, “Beniseed production and utilisation in Nigeria”. In: Extension Bulletin No. 154 Horticulture Series No.5. Zaira.
  6. U.A. Umar, A.H. Muntaqa, M.B. Muhammad and H.J. Jantar (2014). “Review of Sesame Seed Production and Export in Nigeria (2003 to 2012). In :The Pacific Journal of Science and Technology.
  7. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/investment-opportunity-nigeria-sesame-value-chain-aremu-fakunle-john

Muhammed Alhassan