White sesame price climbs during harvest season

The white sesame seeds are abundantly flowing into the market and the price is also high during the harvest season, according to traders from Mandalay market.
The price increased from K178,000 to K202,000 per bag depending on quality.
White sesame is offered K57,000 per basket in Pwintbyu Township, Magway Region. The locals are doing well with the high price at the beginning of the sesame season, said U Kyaw San, a summer sesame grower in Nyaungpinsauk village, Pwintbyu Township, Magway Region.
The Department of Irrigation and Water Utilization Management provided adequate irrigated water to summer sesame plantations in Pwintbyu Township through the Mezali diversion weir. Therefore, the summer sesame is successfully yielded with 15 baskets per acre.
In order to have edible oil sufficiency, locals in Pwintbyu Township are executing oil crop cultivation. About 60,928 acres of sesame (Sinyadana 4, white sesame, black sesame (Samone) and Theitpan black sesame) were projected in the township, said an official of the department.
The prices of sesame stood at K220,000-235,000 per bag of black sesame, and K195,000-202,000 per bag of white sesame.
Among the agricultural products that are allowed to be exported through the border posts, oil crops (peanut and sesame seeds) except black sesame are temporarily suspended for exports.
The Trade Department released a statement on 9 May to discuss with the related organizations to ensure peanut and sesame export ban. The export ban over peanut and sesame except black sesame was effective starting from 9 May 2022.
Myanmar’s sesame was earlier exported to China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and China Taipei (Taiwan). However, it is now relying solely on China and the shipments to other foreign countries have certain difficulties. Additionally, some regions turned to other crop substitutions over the sesame due to the late monsoon season, resulting in a drop in acreages compared to the previous years. The growers also faced a high input burden. — Hlaing Win Lay (Pwintbyumyay), KK/GNLM