Sesame Seed
Sesame is the seed of Sesamum indicum, one of the oldest cultivated oilseeds, grown across Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Latin America. The seed is small and flat, ranging from white through brown to black depending on variety, and it is unusually rich in oil. It is crushed for cooking oil, ground into tahini and halva, hulled and toasted for bakery topping and confectionery, pressed for toasted oil in East Asian cooking, and the residual cake is fed to livestock.
Listed sesame seed markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Sesame is graded on hulling state and colour, on physical purity, and on the oil and free fatty acid figures that decide whether a lot crushes, hulls or bakes.
Physical purity and condition
14 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Hulling stateNatural, hulled or mechanically hulled, declared | The first contract term. Hulled seed is whiter, more fragile and carries different microbiological risk. |
| Colour typeWhite, off white, brown, red or black, declared, with CIELAB coordinates or a sealed sample | Colour is a variety and origin characteristic and is priced separately. |
| WhitenessCIELAB L value on a stated instrument | The objective measure that replaces an argument about shade in hulled lots. |
| Sortex passesNumber of optical sorting passes, declared | Determines how far foreign seed and discoloured seed have been removed. |
| PurityMinimum percentage by mass of sound seed of the named species | Determined by hand separation of a weighed sample after sieving. |
| Other seedsMaximum count or percentage by mass | Seeds of any other cultivated or wild species, separated and weighed. |
| Foreign and extraneous matterMaximum percentage by mass | Stones, soil, chaff, stalk, husk fragments and any non seed material. |
| Broken and damaged seedMaximum percentage by mass | Split, cracked, shrivelled, heat damaged, sprouted and insect bored seed, separated and weighed. |
| Sieve analysisRetained and passing stated apertures | Test sieves to ISO 5223. Sets the size band and separates fines. |
| Thousand seed massGrams per 1000 seeds | Determined by ISO 520. The compact measure of seed size and fill. |
| Bulk densityKilograms per hectolitre | A filled standard measure, weighed. Drives stowage and container fill. |
| ColourCIELAB coordinates on a stated instrument, or against a sealed sample | Colour type is a contract term where the crop trades in more than one colour. |
| Live and dead insectsAbsence, or count per stated sample mass | Determined by sieving and inspection. |
| Mould and odourAbsence of visible mould and of any foreign odour | Assessed on a drawn sample. |
Oil and free fatty acid
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Oil contentPercentage by mass, on a stated moisture basis | Determined by ISO 659 solvent extraction. The controlling figure for crushing value. |
| Free fatty acidsPercentage as oleic acid | Determined by ISO 660 on the extracted oil. Rises with poor drying and poor storage. |
| Peroxide valueMilliequivalents of active oxygen per kilogram | The measure of oxidation already under way. |
| Fatty acid profilePercentage of each fatty acid by gas chromatography | Oleic and linoleic dominate. The profile is also the authenticity check against adulteration with cheaper oils. |
| Sesamin and sesamolinPercentage by mass of the oil | The characteristic lignans of sesame. Used as an identity marker. |
| Unsaponifiable matterPercentage by mass | Determined on the extracted oil. |
Analytical requirements
12 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| OxalatesPercentage by mass | Concentrated in the hull, so natural and hulled seed differ. Contracted where the buyer specifies. |
| SalmonellaAbsence in a stated mass | The controlling microbiological term for sesame, because the seed is often consumed without a further kill step. |
| MoistureMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 712. The controlling figure for storage life and shipping mass. |
| ProteinPercentage by mass, dry basis | Determined by ISO 20483, Kjeldahl, with the conversion factor stated. |
| Total ashMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by incineration at a stated temperature. |
| Crude fatPercentage by mass, dry basis | Determined by solvent extraction. |
| Crude fibrePercentage by mass, dry basis | Determined by acid and alkali digestion. |
| MycotoxinsMicrograms per kilogram | Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, tested against destination market limits. |
| Heavy metalsMilligrams per kilogram | Cadmium, lead and arsenic, tested against destination market limits. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram | Tested against destination market maximum residue limits. |
| Microbiological limitsColony forming units per gram, and absence of Salmonella in a stated mass | Contracted to destination market limits. |
| GlutenMilligrams per kilogram, by ELISA | Tested where the lot is sold as gluten free, because cross contact happens in shared handling, not in the crop. |
Production and certification claims
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| OrganicCertificate under the destination market scheme | EU, NOP, JAS or an equivalence arrangement. Named on the contract with the certifier and certificate number. |
| Non GMODeclaration, with PCR testing where required | Tested where the destination market or the buyer requires evidence rather than declaration. |
| Fairtrade or equivalentCertificate and transaction certificate | Named scheme, with the transaction certificate issued for the specific lot. |
| Identity preservedDocumented chain of custody | Segregation from field to container, evidenced at every transfer. |
| Kosher and HalalCertificate from the named authority | Certificate travels with the lot. |
| TreatmentDeclared | Fumigant, heat treatment or steam pasteurisation, with the agent and the schedule declared, because destination markets differ on what they permit. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Sudan | Africa | Origin |
| India | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Myanmar | Southeast Asia | Origin |
| Tanzania | Africa | Origin |
| Nigeria | Africa | Origin |
| Ethiopia | Africa | Origin |
| China | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Burkina Faso | Africa | Origin |
| Mozambique | Africa | Origin |
| Uganda | Africa | Origin |
| Chad | Africa | Origin |
| Mali | Africa | Origin |
| Niger | Africa | Origin |
| Somalia | Africa | Origin |
| Paraguay | South America | Origin |
| Bolivia | South America | Origin |
| Brazil | South America | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | North America | Origin and destination |
| Guatemala | Central America | Origin |
| Pakistan | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Turkiye | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Israel | Middle East | Destination |
| Lebanon | Middle East | Destination |
| Jordan | Middle East | Destination |
| Egypt | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Destination |
| Vietnam | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Thailand | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Singapore | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Greece | Europe | Destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| Poland | Europe | Destination |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the crop is taken at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is processing, grading and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sudan | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Dec, arrival Dec to MarGedaref and Kordofan. The largest single origin, white and mixed seed. | ||||||
| Ethiopia | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Dec, arrival Dec to FebHumera and Wollega. Humera white is a distinct contract type. | |||||||
| Nigeria | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Dec, arrival Dec to FebNorthern states, largely brown and mixed seed. | |||||||
| Tanzania | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Aug, arrival Aug to OctLindi, Mtwara and Ruvuma. Counter seasonal to the Sahel. | |||||||
| Mozambique | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Jul, arrival Jul to SepNampula and Zambezia. | |||||||
| India | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Oct, arrival May to DecGujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Kharif and summer crops. | ||||
| Myanmar | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Nov, arrival Aug to JanMagway, Mandalay and Sagaing. Two crops a year, black and white seed. | ||||
| China | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Sep, arrival Sep to NovHenan, Hubei and Anhui. Largely consumed domestically. | ||||||||
| Paraguay | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to May, arrival May to JulConcepcion and San Pedro. Southern hemisphere window. | |||||||
| Guatemala | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Jan, arrival Jan to MarPacific coast departments, high whiteness seed. | |||||||
| Burkina Faso | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Dec, arrival Dec to FebCentral and western regions. | |||||||
| Uganda | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Aug to Oct, arrival Oct to DecNorthern and eastern districts. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for sesame seed. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading1207.40 Sesamum seeds
- PackingPP woven or jute bags of 25 kg to 50 kg, 1 t big bags, or bulk in a container liner. Moisture at load is the operative clause on every grain and seed contract.
- Container loading20ft: 21 t to 26 t bagged or bulk lined. 40ft is volume limited around 26 t. Bulk vessel parcels price against the same specification with an independent superintendent at load.
- Contract and arbitrationGAFTA contracts, GAFTA 119 for containerised and the GAFTA 100 series for bulk, with GAFTA Arbitration Rules No. 125 in London and sampling and analysis under GAFTA 124.
- Destination limitsEU pesticide MRLs under Regulation 396/2005, mycotoxin limits under Regulation 2023/915, phytosanitary certification under Regulation 2016/2031 and GMO controls where the crop has genetically modified varieties. US FDA FSMA and, where applicable, USDA AMS grading.
Common questions
What grades of sesame seed does SIP Global trade?
We quote 38 published grades of sesame seed, including Hulling state - Natural, hulled or mechanically hulled, declared, Colour type - White, off white, brown, red or black, declared, with CIELAB coordinates or a sealed sample, Whiteness - CIELAB L value on a stated instrument, Sortex passes - Number of optical sorting passes, declared, Purity - Minimum percentage by mass of sound seed of the named species and Other seeds - Maximum count or percentage by mass. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is sesame seed graded?
Sesame is graded on hulling state and colour, on physical purity, and on the oil and free fatty acid figures that decide whether a lot crushes, hulls or bakes. Grading runs on 4 systems: Physical purity and condition, Oil and free fatty acid, Analytical requirements and Production and certification claims.
Where does SIP Global trade sesame seed?
We trade sesame seed in Sudan, India, Myanmar, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ethiopia, China and Burkina Faso and 32 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is sesame seed harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Sudan: harvest oct to dec, arrival dec to mar; Ethiopia: harvest oct to dec, arrival dec to feb; Nigeria: harvest oct to dec, arrival dec to feb; Tanzania: harvest jun to aug, arrival aug to oct; Mozambique: harvest may to jul, arrival jul to sep. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for sesame seed?
Sesame seed is normally classified under HS 1207.40 (sesamum seeds). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for sesame seed?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed sesame seed market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- Codex AlimentariusFAO and WHO food standards
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.