China will increase investment in the Pak-China sesame contract farming project and has plans to import at least 5,000 tons of sesame from Pakistan this year, Project Manager Xi Jianlong said.
“In 2023, we imported 400 tons of sesame from Pakistan, and this year, we plan to import at least 5,000 tons,” he said in an interview. At the end of 2023, the first batch of sesame from the project was shipped to China, signalling a promising year for sesame exports.
Sesame, a traditional crop in Pakistan, has faced challenges such as low market demand and limited cultivation. Recognising China’s increasing demand for sesame, the Sino-Pak Agricultural Cooperation and Exchange Centre, led by China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), collaborated with Pakistani farmers to take contract farming initiatives.
Read Sesame exports to China surge 126.3%
China’s sesame import volume has remained stable at approximately 1 million tons over the past three years. Pakistan’s sesame holds the advantage of being among the first to enter the market in the northern hemisphere every year, and its proximity to China ensures a short shipping time of only 10 to 15 days by sea, said Xi.
“When I surveyed Pakistan in 2018, the sesame cultivation area was only 200,000 acres. By 2023, it had increased to 1 million acres,” highlighted Xi.
“We also provide support in terms of cultivation resources and technical training for local farmers, and their yield per acre has almost doubled compared to 2018.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2024.
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