Indian APMC Strength Supports Firm Global Sesame Seed Market

Indian white sesame prices in Rajkot APMC are holding firm just below recent highs, supporting a broadly stable to slightly firmer tone in international sesame seed markets. Spot mandi data from Rajkot show white sesame modal prices at ₹12,250 per quintal on 6 October, in a relatively wide band of ₹10,000–13,400, underlining active physical trade and solid farmer selling interest. This resilient domestic floor in India coincides with mostly steady to slightly higher FOB offers out of New Delhi and a mixed picture in alternative origins such as Egypt and Bolivia. With the main Indian kharif sesame harvest progressing and arrivals normalising, trade is watching short-term weather and export demand rather than fearing immediate supply stress.

Prices

Latest APMC data from Rajkot (Gujarat) for 6 October show white sesame trading at a modal price of ₹12,250 per quintal, with a range from ₹10,000 to ₹13,400. This confirms that physical market levels remain clustered close to the recent median for the wider Rajkot sesame belt, where median mandi values have hovered around ₹12,200–12,250 per quintal in the first week of October.

Export-oriented quotes mirror this firmness. In New Delhi, conventional hulled sesame from India is indicated around EUR 1.48 per kg FOB for 99.90% purity and EUR 1.53–1.60 per kg FOB for higher EU-grade qualities, all slightly above late-September levels. Organic hulled sortex product is offered near EUR 1.39 per kg FOB. Egyptian natural sesame trades around EUR 1.42 per kg FOB for standard quality and EUR 1.92 per kg FOB for golden type, showing a mild softening versus late September. In Europe, organic black sesame of Bolivian origin is quoted around EUR 3.54 per kg FCA Łódź.

Supply & Demand

Physical flows in Gujarat indicate healthy arrivals but no sign of glut. The Rajkot cluster has reported consistent mandi activity since late September, with daily arrivals around 95–230 tonnes across key markets and median prices broadly steady near the ₹12,000 per quintal mark. This points to a market that is well supplied but underpinned by farmer price expectations anchored above earlier-season lows.

On the demand side, export buying for hulled sesame remains seasonally active ahead of year-end requirements from East Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Slightly firmer Indian FOB prices for hulled and EU-grade qualities suggest that buyers are accepting current levels rather than aggressively pushing for discounts. In contrast, modest easing in Egyptian natural offers indicates competitive pressure in non-hulled origins, helping cap any sharp global rally for now.

Fundamentals & Weather

Fundamentals in India hinge on the kharif sesame crop in western and central states. Recent mandi data from Rajkot and neighbouring Jetpur show that prices have recovered significantly from mid-year levels around ₹10,600 per quintal to current values above ₹12,000, reflecting both tighter old-crop stocks and ongoing but orderly new-crop arrivals.

Short-term weather in Gujarat and Rajasthan is generally benign at this stage of the season, with the main yield risks largely behind the market. Any late heavy showers would mainly affect quality and logistics rather than yields. With no major weather shocks visible in the immediate forecast window, market participants are focusing more on export demand trends and currency moves as the key drivers for fourth-quarter pricing.

Trading Outlook (Next 1–2 Weeks)

• Bias is for a slightly firmer to sideways price trend in Indian white sesame, as Rajkot APMC levels around ₹12,250 per quintal act as a reference floor for domestic and export negotiations.
• Importers needing coverage of Indian hulled EU-grade material may consider layering in purchases at EUR 1.56–1.60 per kg FOB, as upside risk appears greater than downside while arrivals remain orderly but not heavy.
• Buyers with flexibility on origin could use relatively softer Egyptian natural offers (around EUR 1.42–1.92 per kg FOB depending on quality) to diversify supply and hedge against potential firmness in Indian quotes.
• Organic specialty segments, including organic hulled from India and organic black from Bolivia, are tight and relatively expensive; users should secure forward needs early rather than rely on spot availability.

3-Day Directional View

• India – Rajkot APMC (white sesame): Stable to mildly firm around current modal levels as physical arrivals continue but farmer selling remains disciplined.
• India – New Delhi FOB hulled/EU-grade: Steady to slightly higher, with limited room for discounts given firm domestic mandi benchmarks.
• Egypt – Cairo FOB natural/golden: Slightly softer bias but likely to stabilise near current quotes if Indian prices hold.
• Europe – FCA Łódź organic black: Stable at elevated levels, reflecting niche demand and constrained origin supply.