Sesame farming flourishes in Katsina

It is considered as one of the world’s oldest oilseed crops known that was domesticated over 3,000 years ago. Sesame is highly tolerant to drought like conditions, making it suitable to grow where other crops may fail. It also has the highest oil content of any seed.Many farmers in Mai’adua, Baure, Sandamu and Daura local […]

It is considered as one of the world’s oldest oilseed crops known that was domesticated over 3,000 years ago. Sesame is highly tolerant to drought like conditions, making it suitable to grow where other crops may fail. It also has the highest oil content of any seed.
Many farmers in Mai’adua, Baure, Sandamu and Daura local government areas have in the last farming season subtituted grains such as millet and sorghum with sesame crop in their farms.
This development, they say, has significant impact on their businesses.
Mallam Abdulmudallabi of Yamadawa village of Zango LGA said with the current dwindling price of farm produce, particularly sorghum, millet and maize, there are indications that farmers in the area will switch to the cultivation of sesame seeds in the forthcoming farming season.
Malam Abdulmudallabi said: “Many of us that farm crops like sorghum or millet are not happy with the current price of the commodities in the market and on the other hand those that farm sesame seeds are the ones smiling to the bank now. I assure you that in the forthcoming farming season there will be a growing number of sesame farmers here than ever before.”
He added that the intervention of the marketing companies of the commodity through making advance payments and the provision of quality sesame seedlings and fertiliser to the farmers have boosted the morale of farmers.
“Unlike millet or sorghum which a farmer has to take it to market to sell, company agents do follow sesame farmers to their door steps to buy the commodity at a good price. Besides that quality sesame seedlings are provided to farmers by companies like Kaura, Watcot or Olam and in some cases advance payment is being made by the companies to the farmers to produce the commodity for them.”
One of the agents that buy the commodity for the marketing companies Malam Lawal Magaji Bumbum said farmers are now rushing into farming of sesame seeds due to the apparent advantages of the produce.
Bumbum said: “In this part of Katsina State we have no farm produce that has a ready market like sesame seeds. The marketing companies that buy it from farmers do export it to other countries like China, India and Lebanon.”
He explained that they normally buy the product in mudu (measure) from farmers at a cost of N250 to N400, depending on its availability. On the other hand, they sell it to the marketing companies at the rate of N285 – N350 per kilogramme. Thus a bag (100Kg) of sesame seed sells for between N28, 500 to N35, 000.
Bumbum added that in order to encourage the product’s farming, Mai’adua Local Government Council has in the last farming season distributed quality sesame seedlings to the farmers in the area free of charge.
Similarly, farmers in the southern part of Katsina State are also buying the idea of sesame farming.
A farmer in Kakumi, Bakori LGA, Abdullahi Isah Esso said in the last farming season he cultivated sesame seeds worth over N600, 000.
“Even though farmers here are not too conversant with the techniques of sesame farming, I took a calculated risk by abandoning maize farming for sesame seeds and, God so kind, it yielded me more profit than any other crop that I cultivated in the past.”
He said that unlike in Daura Zone, Marketing companies are yet to meet farmers in Funtua zone, adding that he had to personally take his sesame to Dawanau market in Kano to sell it.
He explained that sesame seed farming requires little fertiliser but if the farm has high fertility due to presence of manure, that suffices. He also said the crop requires early planting as the seedlings need high temperature to germinate, usually from 37 degrees to 42 degrees.
Esso identified termites and leaf roller worm as dangerous to the crop.
“The termites affect the roots of the plant when the crop reaches maturity stage, making the leaves and branches of the plant to dry up, while the leaf roller worm attacks the seed pod which makes rain to penetrate and damage it. So far, we are controlling the pests with a pesticide called ‘Sharp Shooter’ that we buy from our local markets.”
Investigations showed that many farmers, particularly in the axis of Sabua, Dandume, Faskari, Funtua and Bakori, are yet to be fully oriented on the fortunes of sesame farming.
Industrial processing and utilisation of sesame have not been fully commenced in Nigeria. However the product is locally processed and utilised in various forms that include kantun ridi (snack cake made of sesame grains) and kunun ridi (poridge).
Oil is also locally extracted from the seed meant for cooking as well as for medicinal purpose like the treatment of ulcers and burns. The oil and the stem of the crop are also used in making local soap.