Sesame Seeds Market Outlook, 2030

The sesame seeds industry holds a significant position in the global agricultural and food markets, driven by the seed's wide-ranging applications in culinary, nutritional, and industrial sectors. Sesame seeds are highly valued for their rich oil content, distinctive nutty flavor, and health benefits, making them a staple ingredient in many traditional cuisines across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The industry encompasses cultivation, processing, and distribution, with major producers including countries like India, Sudan, Myanmar, China, and Nigeria. These regions benefit from favorable climatic conditions and established farming practices that contribute to consistent yields.

Sesame seeds are predominantly grown in tropical and subtropical areas, where farmers are increasingly adopting modern agronomic techniques to boost productivity and improve seed quality. Furthermore, the rising global demand for healthy oils and plant-based food products has spurred investments in sesame seed farming and processing infrastructure, catalyzing growth across the value chain. One of the key drivers propelling the sesame seeds industry is the growing awareness of its health benefits.

Rich in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, sesame seeds have gained popularity as a superfood that supports heart health, reduces inflammation, and improves bone density. This has led to an increase in the use of sesame seeds and sesame oil in health-conscious diets and wellness products. Additionally, sesame oil is highly prized in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries for its moisturizing and healing properties, creating diversified demand beyond food applications.

According to the research report “Global Sesame Seeds Market Outlook, 2030” the global Sesame Seeds market is projected to reach market size of USD 9.48 Billion by 2030 increasing from USD 7.68 Billion in 2024, growing with 3.65% CAGR by 2025-30. On the consumer side, expanding interest in ethnic cuisines, especially Middle Eastern, Indian, and East Asian foods, has boosted the consumption of sesame seeds in bakery products, snacks, and confectionery. This multifaceted demand dynamic encourages producers and exporters to enhance quality standards, adopt certifications, and innovate with value-added sesame products such as hulled seeds, sesame paste (tahini), and flavored oils.

Despite its promising outlook, the sesame seeds industry faces several challenges that could impact supply stability and market expansion. One major hurdle is the crop’s vulnerability to pests, diseases, and weather fluctuations, which can lead to inconsistent yields and quality variations. Smallholder farmers, who constitute a large proportion of producers, often lack access to advanced agricultural inputs and extension services, limiting productivity gains. Furthermore, the global supply chain is susceptible to geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, and logistical issues that affect exports from major producing countries.

Market volatility and price fluctuations also pose risks for farmers and traders, especially in regions where sesame cultivation is a critical livelihood source. In response, industry stakeholders are increasingly focusing on mechanization, sustainable farming practices, and crop diversification to build resilience. Investments in research and development aim to develop pest-resistant varieties and enhance post-harvest processing technologies to reduce losses and improve shelf life.

Market Drivers

• Rising Health Consciousness and Demand for Superfoods: Increasing global awareness about health and nutrition is driving demand for sesame seeds due to their high antioxidant content, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Consumers seeking natural, plant-based superfoods are fueling growth in both raw sesame seed consumption and value-added products like sesame oil and tahini.
• Expansion of Ethnic and Specialty Food Markets: The growing popularity of Middle Eastern, Indian, and East Asian cuisines worldwide is boosting demand for sesame seeds in bakery, confectionery, and snack products. This cultural globalization is expanding consumption beyond traditional producing regions, creating new export opportunities.

Market Challenges

• Agricultural Vulnerability and Yield Variability: Sesame crops are highly susceptible to pests, diseases, and adverse weather conditions, which cause inconsistent yields and quality fluctuations. Many smallholder farmers lack access to modern agricultural inputs and knowledge, limiting productivity improvements and posing supply risks.
• Supply Chain Disruptions and Price Volatility: Geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, and logistical challenges affect the global sesame seed supply chain. Price volatility and market instability can impact farmer incomes and export reliability, particularly in major producing countries dependent on international markets.

Market Trends

• Adoption of Sustainable and Organic Farming Practices: Increasing consumer demand for organic, non-GMO, and sustainably produced sesame products is encouraging farmers and processors to pursue certifications and environmentally friendly practices. This trend is opening premium market segments and enhancing supply chain transparency.
• Technological Integration and Supply Chain Transparency: The industry is embracing digital agriculture tools, blockchain, and advanced post-harvest technologies to improve traceability, quality control, and reduce losses. These innovations boost consumer confidence and enable better market linkages between producers and global buyers.

The main reason white sesame seeds are leading in the market is their superior visual appeal and versatile usage across diverse culinary and industrial applications.

White sesame seeds are highly preferred in the global market primarily because of their clean, bright appearance and mild, nutty flavor that makes them extremely versatile for various uses. In culinary applications, white sesame seeds are favored for garnishing bakery items like bread, bagels, and pastries, where their aesthetic appeal enhances product presentation and consumer attraction. Moreover, they are the preferred choice for producing high-quality sesame oil and tahini, prized for their lighter color and subtle taste, which make the end products more appealing to consumers seeking milder flavors.

From a nutritional standpoint, white sesame seeds offer similar health benefits as other varieties, including rich content of essential fatty acids, proteins, and antioxidants, which further supports their growing demand in health-conscious markets. Additionally, white sesame seeds tend to have lower levels of impurities and hulls compared to darker seeds, which simplifies processing and improves product quality.

Their adaptability across various food cultures - from Middle Eastern to East Asian cuisines - coupled with growing global demand for clean-label, natural ingredients, solidifies their dominant position in the sesame seed market. This broad acceptance and application make white sesame seeds the preferred choice among producers, exporters, and consumers worldwide, driving their market leadership consistently.

The main reason the food industry is leading in the sesame seeds market is due to the seed’s widespread use as a versatile ingredient in numerous culinary products that cater to global consumer preferences for health, taste, and tradition.

Sesame seeds hold a central role in the food industry because of their rich nutritional profile, unique flavor, and functional versatility, which make them indispensable in a wide range of food products. They are extensively used in bakery items such as breads, crackers, and cookies, where they add texture, visual appeal, and a distinctive nutty taste that enhances the overall eating experience. Beyond baked goods, sesame seeds are a key ingredient in confectionery products, snacks, and traditional foods across many cultures, including Middle Eastern, Asian, and African cuisines. The extraction of sesame oil, highly valued for its delicate flavor and health benefits, further amplifies their importance in cooking and food preparation.

Growing consumer awareness about the health advantages of sesame seeds - such as their antioxidant properties, essential fatty acids, and high protein content - has elevated their status as a functional ingredient in health-oriented foods and plant-based diets. Moreover, the rising demand for clean-label and natural ingredients in processed foods encourages manufacturers to incorporate sesame seeds to meet consumer expectations for wholesome, nutritious products.

The main reason conventional sesame seeds are leading in the market is their widespread availability, cost-effectiveness, and well-established farming and supply chains that make them the primary choice for most producers and consumers worldwide.

Conventional sesame seeds dominate the market primarily because they are produced using traditional agricultural methods that have been refined over decades, allowing for consistent yields and stable supply at competitive prices. Unlike organic or specialty varieties, conventional sesame cultivation benefits from the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and modern farming technologies that help maximize productivity and reduce crop losses due to pests and diseases. This results in greater volume output and lower production costs, making conventional sesame seeds more accessible and affordable for food manufacturers, exporters, and end consumers.

Additionally, the global infrastructure for harvesting, processing, and distributing conventional sesame seeds is well-established, ensuring reliable supply chains that support large-scale demand in food, oil extraction, and industrial applications. While organic and specialty sesame products are gaining traction, they still represent niche segments with higher price points and limited production capacity. Conventional sesame seeds thus continue to lead due to their economic advantage, broad acceptance, and the ability to meet the volume requirements of diverse industries worldwide.

The main reason supermarkets and hypermarkets are leading in the sesame seeds market is their extensive reach and ability to offer a wide variety of sesame seed products, ensuring convenience, quality assurance, and competitive pricing that attract a broad consumer base.

Supermarkets and hypermarkets dominate the sesame seeds market because they serve as one-stop retail hubs that provide consumers easy access to diverse sesame seed products, including raw seeds, roasted variants, sesame oil, and value-added items like tahini and snacks. Their widespread presence in urban and semi-urban areas enables them to tap into growing consumer demand for healthy and natural food ingredients, driven by increasing health consciousness and culinary experimentation. These retail formats often maintain strict quality control and sourcing standards, which build consumer trust in the safety and authenticity of sesame seed products.

Additionally, supermarkets and hypermarkets leverage their large-scale purchasing power to negotiate better prices from suppliers, allowing them to offer competitive retail pricing that appeals to cost-sensitive shoppers. Their organized shelf displays and marketing efforts also educate consumers about the benefits and uses of sesame seeds, further boosting demand. Moreover, the convenience of purchasing sesame seeds alongside other grocery items saves time for consumers, making supermarkets and hypermarkets the preferred retail channels for both routine and specialty purchases.

The main reason Asia-Pacific is leading in the sesame seeds market is due to its status as both the largest producer and consumer region, supported by favorable agricultural conditions, traditional dietary habits, and expanding food processing industries.

Asia-Pacific dominates the global sesame seeds market largely because it houses major sesame-producing countries such as India, China, Myanmar, and Vietnam, where the crop thrives due to suitable climatic conditions and established farming practices. These countries benefit from vast arable lands and a large base of smallholder farmers who cultivate sesame as a valuable cash crop, contributing significantly to regional production volumes. Moreover, sesame seeds hold a deeply rooted place in the culinary traditions of many Asia-Pacific cultures, where they are widely used in cooking, confectionery, and traditional medicine, thereby sustaining strong domestic demand.

The region’s rapidly growing population, rising incomes, and increasing urbanization are also driving greater consumption of sesame seeds and related products, especially in processed and convenience foods. Additionally, the expansion of food processing and export-oriented industries in countries like China and India is boosting the utilization of sesame seeds in oils, snacks, bakery, and confectionery products. Government initiatives supporting agricultural development and export promotion further strengthen the region’s market leadership.

• In February 2024, The Indian Finance Minister announced that the government would formulate a strategy to make India self-reliant in edible oils, including mustard, groundnut, sesame, soybean, etc., by boosting the domestic output of oilseeds and launching a comprehensive program to support.
• In January 2023, SEIAW KASEI introduced its new range of 100% plant-ingredient raw materials, including upcycling sesame, which increases collagen production and moisturizes the skin.
• In March 2023, Equinom, a plant-based nutrition firm that creates new non-GMO kinds of unique grains to generate higher quality ingredients for creative plant-based meals, announced a partnership with Dipasa, one of the world's major sesame seed processors and exporters. This agreement brings together two powerhouse corporations as they collaborate to create and sell a first-of-its-kind high-protein sesame seed and functional ingredient.

Considered in this report

• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report

• Sesame Seeds Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Oil Type

• Vegetable Oil
• Essential Oils
• Mineral Oils
• Others (Exotic/Specialty Oils & Blended/Functional Oils)

By Application

• Skin Care
• Hair Care
• Body Care
• Others

By Distribution Channel

• Online
• Offline (retail stores, pharmacies)
• Direct sales

The approach of the report:

This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases.

After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to agriculture industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.