Sesame imports through Shanghai Port surged last year and the first two months of this year, as natural disasters hit domestic production and demand for sesame oil expanded.

Bulging imports also pushed up sesame prices in the domestic market more than 50 percent in the five months to February, industry insiders said Thursday.

More than 29,860 tons of sesame worth more than US$20 million - the most in eight years - came through Shanghai Port into the domestic market last year, Shanghai Customs reported.

In 2002, sesame imports through the port totaled only 60 tons, the Customs said.

In January and February this year, 23,010 tons of sesame came through the port, nearly 80 percent of total imports last year.

"Sesame imports started to grow rapidly in October last year, as domestic production was hit by natural disasters while domestic demand kept rising," said Sun Qun, an official with Shanghai Customs.

Shanghai Cereals and Oils Association said China surpassed India to become the world's largest sesame producer in 1998 and imported little sesame before last year.

Rainstorms which hit China's major sesame production areas including Henan, Anhui and Hubei provinces in summer and autumn last year cut production by more than 50 percent.

In addition, some farmers quit planting sesame because of the thin profit compared with other plants, association officials said.

Last year, China's sesame production areas shrank 15 percent from a year ago to about 633,300 hectares.

"Sesame prices have risen about 60 percent in our supermarket since the fourth quarter last year," said Zhao Zhongli, who is responsible for grain and oil buying at Shanghai Jiadeli Supermarket. "The price rise was even more dramatic in January." Domestic sesame prices have exceeded 10,000 yuan (US$1,205) a ton, and the prices will continue to rise, industry sources said.

(Eastday.com April 2, 2004)