Tanzania’s sesame farmers have high expectations as the country launches the 2026/27 trading season on May 8, 2026, in Songwe Region. The expectations are anchored in both higher production volumes compared with last year, following efforts by government authorities, particularly the Crops and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (@copra_tz), as well as hopes for improved prices.However, despite these hopes, sesame trading is increasingly being shaped by powerful global forces, including shifts in Chinese demand and intensifying competition from emerging producers. Reports indicate that these changes, together with rising international logistics costs, are redefining earnings for thousands of smallholder farmers across the country. Although Tanzania remains one of Africa’s most reliable suppliers of high-quality sesame seed, the sector now operates in a market environment where price formation is largely determined outside its borders, exposing domestic producers to external shocks that quickly ripple from global trading hubs into rural farm-gate prices.Recent data show that the global sesame economy is structured around a narrow but highly influential group of buyers and producers, with Asia remaining the epicenter of demand. China continues to dominate as the single most important market, importing between 900,000 and 1.1 million tonnes annually, mainly for oil extraction, food processing, confectionery production and strategic reserves.Japan follows with imports of 150,000 to 170,000 tonnes, largely premium-grade sesame used in food processing and roasted products.