Magway black sesame to be exported to Japan and Europe

June 28, 2017

Black sesame cultivated in Magway will be exported to Japan and Europe, according to a press release issued yesterday by the Ministry of Commerce.

In 2016, Japan was the main customer of Magway’s black sesame seed industry. Lower quality sesame seeds — crops impacted by use of pesticide residue and high toxicity — are exported mainly to China.

Magway black sesame growers have recently faced a price decline of about Ks30,000 per 33.33 kg basket. To overcome price challenges sesame growers from Pwintbyu township met with sesame merchants from Japan’s Mitsubishi company on 9 June to discuss techniques to improve crop yields and quality. A few years ago, local growers harvested sesame and dried them for only one week before sending them to market. At that time, pesticides were used to rapidly ripen the seeds, which also reduced its quality and market value.

“Europe has also planned to import Myanmar sesame if it meets the desired quality,” said U Tun Oo, a sesame merchant from Mandalay. “Myanmar sesame has often been rejected because of high levels of pesticide residue and high toxicity. Our merchants can ride the sesame of the stones and sands. But we cannot do the same with the pesticides. This depends on the discretion of the local sesame growers.” Sesame is one of the most common edible oil crops in Myanmar. Currently, 51.3 per cent of all farmland is devoted to edible oil production.

Sesame crops cultivate mainly in Magway, Sagaing and Mandalay regions.

About 70 per cent of sesame crops are exported to China. Myanmar sesame exports to 12 countries, amounting to 1 million tonnes annually.

GNLM

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar