Gujarat has two main sesame crops. The kharif crop is sown with the monsoon, usually June or July, and harvested roughly September to November. A summer crop is sown early in the year on irrigated land and harvested around May and June.
Timing varies by district, variety and weather, so treat these windows as approximate and confirm the current year with your supplier.
Kharif sesame
Kharif sesame is largely rain-fed. Rain during growth decides yield, and rain at harvest is a big risk. Sesame capsules split open when ripe, so farmers cut the plants and stack them to dry before threshing. Wet weather during this stage can discolour the seed, raise moisture and increase mould and microbe levels.
Arrivals usually build from around October at markets such as Rajkot and Gondal, with export processing running through the following months.
Early arrivals often carry higher moisture and more dust. Processors clean, dry and sort the seed before it meets export grades, so allow a few weeks between first arrivals and well-cleaned export lots.
Summer sesame
The summer crop is grown with irrigation and harvested in hot, dry weather. Many buyers find summer seed brighter and cleaner, because it dries well and avoids monsoon rain at harvest. Volumes vary year to year with water availability and the prices farmers expect.
Some buyers time their main hulled sesame purchases around the summer crop for this reason. Others spread purchases across both crops to keep supply steady.
The summer crop is smaller than the kharif crop in most years. If you rely on it, book early and confirm volumes with the processor before the crop is harvested.
What drives prices through the year
- Monsoon timing and rainfall, which decide kharif area and yield.
- Weather at harvest, which decides quality and how much seed meets export grades.
- Crops in other origins, especially in Africa, which compete in the same markets.
- Domestic demand for oil and sweets, including festival demand.
- Market closures around Diwali in October or November.
- Food safety controls in buyer markets, which can widen the gap between tested and untested seed.
Planning your purchases
If you buy regularly, plan around both crops and agree shipment windows ahead. Taking part of your volume soon after arrivals can secure the quality you want. The general approach is in when is the best time of year to book agri contracts and the broader calendar is in when the harvest season is for major Indian spices.
Where we come in
We follow both sesame crops in Gujarat, report on arrivals and quality, and arrange new-crop samples from audited processors as soon as they are ready. We can then book prices and shipment slots for you. Ask for a free sourcing review to plan your season.