BEIJING: Pakistan and China trade was significantly higher last year and Pakistan’s export of Sesamum seeds to China achieved a historical figure of $120.44 million in the year 2021.
China imported 92516.55 tons in 2021 and was one of the main destinations for Sesamum seeds exports from Pakistan, while in 2020 it was only 38000 kilograms, according to the official data from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC).
Niger with 297255 tons founded the country with the largest volume of Sesamum seeds exported to China, followed by Togo and Sudan in terms of volume and value. Pakistan ranked sixth in terms of volume and shared around 3.3 percent of total exports to China in 2021.
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan’s export to China increased 68.9% in 2021, China Economic Net (CEN) reported.
Commercial Counsellor of Pakistan in China Badar U Zaman said that normally there is a trend of cultivating traditional crops like wheat and rice but now the Pakistani farmers are also getting knowledge of the high-end and high-priced products like Sesamum seed.
Similarly, he said the seed is also available in Pakistan’s cultivation methods, they are also learning, so hopefully Pakistan is going to be the top exporter of Sesamum seeds to China in coming years.
“After the signing of the phase -2 of China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement, we got access to Sesamum seeds in the Chinese market. Our exporters are very active. Many new exporters have been added to the General Administration of Customs of China list that increased the scale, but still, we have a big potential and the Pakistani farmers also understand the varieties and the types of the sesame seed that is popular in China”, Badar mentioned.
He said that Pakistan is collaborating in the agriculture sector with China. There have been specialists from China who are also guiding the Pakistani farmers on how to grow this crop. Similarly, many agriculture machinery suppliers, are also providing high-end technical machines like sorting machines to the Pakistani processors of these Sesamum seeds and the packaging has also improved.
Rakesh Pal Khamuani from Kanwal Trading Company Private Limited (Pakistan) said that Sesame seeds have been a very important trade recently in Pakistan. On average, Pakistan produces 100K tons of sesame seeds from which 85% is exported and the rest during the winter is used in the local areas for bakery and sweets.
Rakesh said that two bordering countries with over 70 years of relationship, unfortunately, do not have sesame seeds trade. Whereas Pakistan should be the first priority for China to import sesame seeds because of the quick transit time.
He further said that when the new Free Trade Agreement (FTA) 2020 was launched that brought an opportunity for both countries to add sesame seeds to the list of 313 items and that helped duty from previously 10% zero.
“Previously Pakistan majorly exported to countries like Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Europe, and the USA. After the waive of duty in China of Pakistan origin in the last 2 years majorly, China is the biggest importer for Pakistan Sesame Seeds. The crop year of 2020-2021 was recorded highest exports in numbers from Pakistan out of which 54% of the total exports were to China”, he marked.
It is to be noted that November was the best month ever at 33 million exports of Sesamum seeds to China with a volume of 24557 tons followed by December in terms of value worth 24 million.