ISLAMABAD, Jan 23 (APP): Owing to the well-coordinated efforts of federal and provincial governments, the sesame seed cultivation in the country during the current season witnessed unprecedented growth of 187 per cent as compared to the sowing of the corresponding period of the last year.
During the period under review, the sesame seeds were cultivated in over 399,493 hectares as compared to the cultivation of 139,400 hectares in the same period of last year, said a press release issued by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research on Tuesday.
The collaboration of provincial agriculture departments of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan has remained instrumental in attaining higher areas under oil seed production, it added.
Sesame cultivation, once confined to limited districts across these provinces, expanded from 18,000 to 135,600 hectares between 1948 and 2019, accompanied by a production increase from 6,000 to 69,600 tons during the same period.
Notably, Punjab is the leading province, contributing 95% of sesame production, followed by Sindh 2.1% and Balochistan 2.2%, it said adding that the average yield of sesame experienced a substantial increase 69% rising from 442 to 750 kg/ha under National Oilseeds Enhancement Program (NOEP).
Starting at a modest $89.320 million in 2020, the nation’s sesame exports surged exponentially, reaching $407 million in 2023. This unprecedented growth catapulted Pakistan to the 5th position among major sesame exporting nations, with over 80% of exports being absorbed by China.