What It Is
Hulled white sesame is a major Indian export for bakeries and tahini makers worldwide, and gingelly (sesame) oil is the traditional cooking oil of Tamil Nadu.
How It Is Made
Sesame is cleaned, soaked and mechanically or chemically de-hulled, then dried, sorted and sterilised. Gingelly oil is pressed in traditional chekku (wooden) presses or modern expellers.
Uses and Buyers
Bakeries, confectioners, tahini and halwa makers abroad; households in Tamil Nadu and the South for oil.
Quality and Standards
Hulled sesame is graded by purity and whiteness and tested for salmonella and residues.
Trade and Exports
Hulling units in Gujarat (Unjha, Rajkot, Kutch) and Kolkata export to the Middle East, Europe, East Asia and the USA.
Where the Raw Material Comes From
Processors buy sesame from the main growing states below. Plants are usually built close to these belts, or close to ports for imported raw material, to keep freight low and quality fresh. Tap a state for its districts, markets, season and buyers.
| State | Main districts |
|---|---|
| West Bengal | Purba Medinipur, Hooghly, Nadia, Murshidabad |
| Gujarat | Amreli, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Kutch |
| Rajasthan | Pali, Nagaur, Jodhpur, Bhilwara |
| Madhya Pradesh | Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar |
| Uttar Pradesh | Jhansi, Lalitpur, Banda, Hamirpur |
| Odisha | Bolangir, Kalahandi, Bargarh |
| Tamil Nadu | Erode, Thanjavur, Karur, Pudukkottai |
Makers, Processors and Bodies
- VVV & Sons Edible Oils LtdIdhayam gingelly oilAboutExplore
- Kaleesuwari Refinery Pvt LtdGingelly oilAboutExplore
- IOPEPCSesame exportAboutExplore
Related: Sesame · All products · All crops
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