The opportunities for sesame are broad, spanning food products (raw sesame seeds, oil and tahini), as well as nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical uses, plus sesame meal for stock feed. With the introduction of high-quality, high-yielding, non-dehiscing varieties that can be mechanically harvested, there’s growing momentum behind Australian sesame seeds and the local industry’s next phase.
Australian Sesame AgriFutures Australia is investing $2 million into a new five-year national program of research to scale-up production of the high-value crop sesame.
3 min read
AUSTRALIAN SESAME / 07.10.25 On a cotton farm near Emerald in central Queensland, something unusual is taking root. Among the cotton, mung beans and peanuts that typically fill the rotation, a small but mighty crop is showing its potential to change the face of Australian agriculture: sesame.
5 min read
AUSTRALIAN SESAME / 15.08.23 With the global sesame seed market expected to reach A$26 billion by 2025, the Australian sesame industry has been identified as a high-growth potential emerging industry.
4 min read
The Sesame Central Program Framework provides a comprehensive roadmap for developing a sustainable and commercially viable sesame industry in Australia. Bringing together research, development and...
Publication / 23 Pages
This factsheet summarises results from recent sesame variety trials across Kingaroy, Jinghi, Durong and Gurgeena, confirming that sesame performs strongly in Southern Queensland’s summer cropping...
Publication / 2 Pages
This factsheet introduces PREDICTA® Sesame, a DNA‑based soil test that helps growers detect and quantify key soilborne pathogens before planting. It explains why early testing...
Publication / 2 Pages
The Monosem single-row planter is a precision planting unit suited for various small-seeded crops, including sesame. Recent research by CQUniversity, funded by AgriFutures Australia, has...
Publication / 3 Pages
Managing sesame production in northern Australia during extreme weather events such as cyclones and floods requires a multi-faceted approach including proactive agricultural management strategies, adaptive...
Publication / 3 Pages
Sesame is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, but an industry that is emerging within the Australian agriculture landscape. The white and black sesame seeds you buy in the supermarket or those sprinkled on top of your hamburger buns and sushi rolls are almost certainly imported from developing countries in Asia and Africa. But with the global sesame market worth more than US $7 billion and demand continuing to escalate, an Australian sesame renaissance is beginning to gain momentum.
Podcast
This video discusses the planting equipment used for sesame crops.
Video / 7 Min Watch
This video discusses the harvesting equipment used for sesame crops.
Video / 3 Min Watch
This placemat serves as a resource for those interested in the emerging sesame industry. Within this placemat, you’ll find essential fast facts alongside the fundamental...
Publication / 2 Pages
Sesame is perfectly suited to Australia’s hot and dry conditions and may be an attractive option as a high-return break crop in broadacre farming systems....
Publication / 3 Pages
Through research funded by the AgriFutures Emerging Industries Program, we’re supporting sesame seed production to help establish Australian sesame seeds as a viable crop option in northern farming systems. With targeted research and development, the industry is working towards exceeding $10 million (GVP) by 2026.
The Australian Sesame Strategic RD&E Plan 2021–26 outlines six key priorities:
The Australian Sesame Strategic RD&E Plan balances research, development and extension priorities to lift industry productivity, profitability and sustainability.
Download the Australian Sesame Strategic RD&E Plan 2021-26
Find out more by watching our explainer video here
The Australian Sesame Strategic RD&E Plan was developed through consultation with a Sesame Stakeholders Group (SSG) of growers, industry, industry organisations, government and researchers. This process helped establish an Industry Reference Board, now the Australian Sesame Industry Development Association (ASIDA), to lead industry growth and support implementation of RD&E priorities for Australian sesame.
Visit the Australian Sesame Industry Development Association
Sesame is best suited to warm, frost-free environments with a long growing season, where typical temperatures sit in the 25–37°C range. It can perform across several soil types, and while optimal growth is often associated with around 500–1100 mm annual rainfall, it has been grown successfully in lower rainfall areas, sometimes with supplementary irrigation to avoid water stress. In Australia, sesame is currently grown across northern Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, with potential to expand into other suitable regions (including areas similar to cotton-growing zones).
Sesame is a rapidly emerging commercial opportunity in Australia, driven by new high-yielding, non-dehiscing varieties that can be mechanically harvested—addressing a key historical barrier. While the industry is still early-stage (recently described as trialled rather than fully established at broad commercial scale), demand continues to grow and Australia has a strong opportunity to displace imports and build export potential.
The Strategic RD&E Plan sets a clear pathway to build industry viability by resolving agronomy and crop-protection challenges, strengthening supply chains, and establishing markets, with a target of exceeding $10 million GVP by 2026.
If you’d like to get involved in sesame research, whether as a grower host site, research provider, industry partner or collaborator, start by keeping an eye on our Funding Opportunities and Learning and Development Opportunities, and we encourage you to apply for any suitable listing that best fits your goals.
You can also reach out directly via with a brief outline of your interest (for example: your region, capability, and whether you’re interested in trials, extension, supply chain development or market work). We can help point you to relevant programs and the right contacts as projects and participation opportunities arise.
For enquiries about AgriFutures’ sesame research, current projects, publications, RD&E priorities and investment opportunities, please contact AgriFutures at .
AgriFutures invests in sesame RD&E through the Emerging Industries Program and works with delivery partners and industry to support the sector’s growth. For growing advice, seed import or export, processing, or other broader industry-related enquiries, please contact the Australian Sesame Industry Development Association.
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