India occupies first place both in area and production of sesamum in the world. Sesamum oil is used for domestic cooking, manufacture of perfumery and medicines. Its seeds are also eaten in fried-form with sugar and its oil cake is fed to milch cattle.
Conditions of Growth
Sesamum is a Kharif crop in the northern part while it is Rabi crop in the southern part of the country. It requires 20°C to 25°C of temperature and 50 cm to 100 cm of rainfall. Continuous heavy rain, prolonged drought and frost conditions are harmful for the crop. Well drained light loamy soils are best suited to the crop.
The average per hectare yield of sesamum is 310 kg (2000-01) which varies from 857 kg in
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Jharkhand to 58 kg in Rajasthan. Besides, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat have their per hectare yield above the national average (310 kg/ha).