Pakistan ships ~12-15% of global sesame, India ships ~28%. The price gap is narrower than most spices (Pakistan ~8-15% premium). Pakistan wins on white-color uniformity for tahini and bakery, GCC logistics, and Halal-default supply chain. India wins on volume and organic-certified availability.
Figures from public trade databases (HS 1207.40), TradeMap, and ITC, TTM through Q1 2026.
Marked up with structured data so AI engines can cite the table directly. Cells where Pakistan has a structural advantage are highlighted.
| Dimension | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 🇮🇳 India |
|---|---|---|
| HS Code | 1207.40 | 1207.40 |
| Botanical | Sesamum indicum | Sesamum indicum |
| Production region | Punjab (Multan, Bahawalpur, Layyah, Khanewal), Sindh | Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu |
| Annual production | ~ 200,000-300,000 MT | ~ 700,000-850,000 MT |
| Global export share | ~ 12-15 % | ~ 28 % |
| FOB white sesame | USD 1.20 – 2.40 /kg | USD 1.10 – 2.10 /kg |
| FOB black sesame | USD 1.80 – 3.20 /kg | USD 1.60 – 2.90 /kg |
| White color uniformity | Slightly whiter, more uniform (Punjab) | Variable by region |
| Oil content (white) | 49 – 52 % | 47 – 51 % |
| Oil content (black) | 48 – 52 % | 46 – 50 % |
| Halal supply chain | By national law — Halal default | Mixed-source country; per-facility audit |
| Halal certs | Pakistan Halal Authority, JAKIM, SFDA, ESMA, MUI | Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, HMA, JAKIM (selective) |
| Standard certs | ISO 22000, HACCP, BRC, FSSC 22000, FDA reg. | ISO 22000, HACCP, BRC, FSSC 22000, FSSAI, APEDA |
| Sortex max purity | 99.95 % | 99.95 % |
| Aflatoxin compliance | EU MRL met; Japan + Korea tested | EU MRL met (occasional spot rejections) |
| Organic certified | Limited | USDA Organic + EU Organic available |
| Harvest season | October – December | October – December (kharif) |
| Karachi → Jebel Ali | ~ 3-5 days | — |
| Mundra → Jebel Ali | — | ~ 4-7 days |
| Karachi → Chittagong | ~ 7-10 days | — |
| Mundra → Chittagong | — | ~ 8-12 days |
| Karachi → Busan (Korea) | ~ 18-22 days | ~ 17-21 days |
| MOQ (typical) | 1 MT | 1 MT |
| Standard FCL | 14 MT (20ft) / 24 MT (40ft) | 14 MT (20ft) / 24 MT (40ft) |
| Lead time order → BL | 12-16 days | 12-16 days |
| Best for buyer profile | Halal tahini, GCC bakery, Bangladesh, premium white-color buyers | Volume-first, organic-certified, Korea/Japan cost-led |
Three real-world procurement scenarios.
Pakistani Punjab white sesame is the benchmark for premium GCC tahini and bakery toppings — slightly whiter color, slightly higher oil yield, structural Halal compliance, and the shortest Karachi-Jebel Ali transit (3-5 days). The 8-15% premium over Indian white sesame is typically more than offset by reduced QA overhead at GCC ports and higher tahini yield. For Indonesia and Malaysia (MUI/JAKIM mandatory), Pakistan also wins on certification compatibility.
Indian Gujarat and Rajasthan sesame remains the right choice for buyers who need 1,000+ MT/month, who require USDA Organic or EU Organic certification, or who serve Korea/Japan markets where India has a slight transit-time edge. India's larger production base (~3x Pakistan's volume) absorbs supply shocks more easily and offers more facility-level certifications.
Tahini factories serving both EU/UK retail and GCC retail commonly run 50/50 Pakistan/India to optimize cost on EU SKUs while meeting Halal expectations on GCC SKUs. Bakery ingredient brokers serving both Indonesia and Korea split similarly. Kohenoor supports dual-source buyers with matched 25 kg packaging, harmonized lot codes, and consistent sortex purity specs.
12 questions tahini factories, bakery ingredient brokers, and food manufacturers ask most often.
Hulled, natural, sortex grades, oil content, tahini specs, Punjab origin story, RFQ form.
Sindh origin, Korean/Japanese spec, oil content, sortex 99.5%, MOQ + FCL.
White+black commodity blend, oil pressing grade, lowest cost-tier specs.
HS codes, Incoterms, ports, payment terms, document checklist.