Brazil and China sign agreement for sesame exports

Brazil and China have signed a historic agreement for Brazil's sesame exports to China, making it the largest importer of the product. The agreement also opens markets for fresh grapes, sorghum, and fish by-products. Brazil's sesame production has seen a 104% increase, with an estimated 360 thousand tons for the 2023/24 harvest, and exports have grown from $79 million in 2021 to $245 million by October 2024. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) and the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) have established phytosanitary and sanitary requirements for the export of these products. To further support, Embrapa is offering a free course on sesame cultivation in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Last Wednesday (20), Brazil and China signed a historic agreement for the export of sesame. The agreement was signed during the bilateral meeting between Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Xi Jinping, in Brasília. In addition to sesame, the market was also opened for three other new products from Brazilian agriculture - fresh grapes, sorghum and fish by-products. The world's largest importer of sesame, with a 36.2% share of global imports of the product, China spent US$ 1.53 billion in 2023 on the purchase of this product. Brazil, which ranked seventh in exports, representing 5.31% of world trade, has been increasing its area of pulse planting. Sesame has been gaining ground in Brazilian crops as a second-season crop. Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro highlighted that the opening of this market is in line with the growth of national production, which increased 104% last year. According to Conab, for the 2023/24 harvest, production is estimated at 360 thousand tons, an ...