Sesame earnings double for Iringa farmers
SESAME farming is emerging as one of the most profitable agricultural ventures in Iringa Region, with farmers more than doubling their earnings during the 2025/2026 season following increased production and improved access to markets, according to the Iringa Farmers' Cooperative Union (IFCU). The cooperative reported that payments to sesame growers rose from 2.169 billion Tanzanian shillings in the previous season to more than 5.53 billion shillings in the latest harvest, driven by expanded cultivation and higher production. Speaking in an interview, IFCU Manager Tumaini Lupola said the union's campaign to promote sesame cultivation followed studies conducted in Iringa and Kilolo districts, which identified the crop as an underutilised but highly profitable commodity. He said IFCU partnered with the Iringa Regional Administration and local councils to distribute improved seed varieties, provide agronomic training and strengthen marketing systems by reducing the influence of middlemen. As a result, sesame collections increased from 860,207 kilogrammes in the previous season to more than 2.377 million kilogrammes during the 2025/2026 harvest. Lupola said the crop has become an important source of income, particularly for farmers in drought-prone areas such as Isimani and parts of Kilolo District, where unpredictable rainfall has affected the production of maize and rice. He explained that sesame requires fewer production inputs and lower cultivation costs than maize, noting that farmers need only about two kilogrammes of seed per acre compared to around 10 kilogrammes for maize. Its drought tolerance, he added, has enabled many households to earn income even during poor rainfall seasons, allowing them to pay school fees, meet healthcare expenses and improve their homes.The profitability of sesame has also been supported by improved marketing systems. According to Lupola, while maize often sells for less than 300 shillings per kilogramme, sesame has fetched an average price of about 2,450 shillings per kilogramme. He said the Warehouse Receipt System and the Tanzania Mercantile Exchange (TMX) electronic trading platform have enabled local and international buyers to compete for quality-certified produce, ensuring farmers receive fair and competitive prices. To sustain the sector's growth, IFCU is working to address challenges affecting production, particularly the limited availability of high-yielding seed varieties preferred by the market. The cooperative is supporting farmers to produce Quality Declared Seed (QDS), organising study visits to leading sesame-producing regions such as Mtwara and Songwe, and investing in transport trucks to reduce the cost of moving produce from rural areas. Lupola said IFCU also plans to encourage investment in local agro-processing industries to add value to sesame before it reaches the market, a move expected to increase farmers' incomes while supporting the government's broader agricultural transformation agenda under the Tanzania Development Vision 2050
Source: https://ippmedia.co.tz/the-guardian/business/read/sesame-earnings-double-for-iringa-farmers-2026-08-03-112126