Sesame production grows 107% in the 2023/24 harvest in Brazil

Sesame cultivation in Brazil has grown considerably in recent years. Compared to 2023, there was an expansion in the planted area of 83%, going from 361 thousand to 660 thousand hectares, according to Conab. This was the largest expansion of agricultural area in Brazil, second only to soybeans. Production also saw a significant increase, reaching 107%, going from 174 thousand to 361 thousand tons, mainly due to low production costs and good profitability when compared to corn. However, despite the growth, the sesame industry in Brazil faces significant challenges, such as low productivity due to insufficient scientific knowledge, scarce technologies, lack of specific mechanization and seed dehiscence, a natural process of opening the capsules and releasing the seeds before the harvest period, which can lead to large losses. Sesame is an annual herbaceous plant and originates from Asia. Its seed has a high content of high-quality nutritional oil and is the main product sold on the ...