Sesame seed exports to China surge 190%

Beijing-Islamabad trade increases after free trade agreement

BEIJING:

Pakistan’s sesame seed export to China surged to $42.88 million in the first two months of 2022, showing a growth of 190.48% on a year-on-year basis.

According to General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), China imported 28,662.66 tons of sesame seeds worth $42.88 million, marking an increase of 141.37% by volume, while last year in the same period it was 11,874.82 tons worth $14.76 million.

During the first two months of 2022, the bilateral trade has increased significantly and Pakistan’s exports to China crossed $670 million, which recorded a nearly 23% increase.

In January, Rakesh Pal Khamuani, Director of Exports and Business Development, told China Economic Net that sesame seed trade increased between China and Pakistan after the free trade agreement took effect.

He said that China and Pakistan have always supported each other for better bilateral trade, and China is the biggest importer of sesame seeds whose demand is huge and increasing every year because they also do value addition and re-export.

“In the crop year 2021-22 (current), 90% of the crop production is exported from August 2021 to March 2022. This is the first time in history that the crop is finished earlier even before the new harvest starts, from which 80% has been exported to China with shipments from September 2021 to March 2022,” he added.

Khamuani stated that sesame seed trade has been very important recently in Pakistan.

On average Pakistan produces 100,000 tons of sesame seeds, of which 85% is exported and the rest is used in the local market for bakery and sweets during winter.

This year exports have crossed 85% of the total production in just seven months of current fiscal year and there are five more months until the new harvest crops of 2022-23.

“If we look into the year 2022, from January to March only 35% of the total production was exported to China, though we were expecting much more. However, if we compare September to December 2021, exports to China were 85% of the total production,” he mentioned.

He believes that due to the border and geographical location of Pakistan, transit time will be given priority. However, Pakistan must have good crops with both quantity and quality.

He added that weather plays an important role when it comes to the production of sesame seeds and said that it is too early to talk about the new crop in 2022-23 as sowing will start after April 2022.

It is to be noted that Pakistan’s export of sesame seeds to China achieved a historical figure of $120.44 million in 2021.

China imported 92,516.55 tons in 2021 and was one of the main destinations for sesame seed exports from Pakistan.

THE ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON THE CHINA ECONOMIC NET

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2022.

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