Pakistan’s sesame seed exports to China saw a remarkable surge, with a staggering growth of 126.29 percent on a year-on-year basis, reaching over $290 million from January to December last year. Ghulam Qadir, the Commercial Counsellor at the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, disclosed this significant development.
According to data from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC), China imported 166,682.987 tons of sesame seeds from Pakistan in 2023, marking a substantial increase of 96.13% in volume compared to the previous year. In terms of value, this amounted to $290.66 million, showcasing a notable rise from $128.44 million in 2022 for 84,985.321 tons.
Qadir further highlighted that Pakistan’s overall exports to China in 2023 surpassed $3.459 billion, reflecting a 1.4% increase year-on-year. The GACC data also indicated that China imported a total of 912,814.577 tons of sesame seeds valued at approximately $1.52 billion from various countries during the same period.
Among the top exporters, Niger, an African nation, retained its position as the leading sesame seed exporter to China for the third consecutive year, with exports totaling 192,529.528 tons valued at $309.51 million. Pakistan followed closely with $290.66 million in exports, while Tanzania secured the third position with exports valued at $239.83 million. Notably, Pakistan’s contribution accounted for around 19 percent of the total sesame seed exports to China from January to December 2023.
