Green stalks stand tall and dense in the fields under the hot Upper Egyptian sun, heralding the sesame harvest season. Sesame, whose history dates back to ancient Egypt, remains a symbol of agricultural identity and is still present on the tables of Upper Egyptians today.
Sesame stalks
Amidst the dense sesame stalks, with green leaves decorating the fields at this time of year. Inside them are capsules filled with seeds. In the village of Rifaa al-Tahtawi—known as the “village of young graduates”—in the Abnub district of Assiut governorate, Mustafa Abu Omar, a sesame farmer, stands joyfully with his harvest.
He says: Sesame is a crop that requires a lot of attention from farmers, from the very beginning, from fertilizing the land and protecting it until harvest. Harvesting is only done by experienced workers. We cut the stalks and then gather them into bundles in the shape of dolls and leave them in the sun for up to three weeks until they are completely dry, after which the threshing process begins. .
The bundles preserve the crop
Farmer Tuba Faisal explains: “Stacking the sesame stalks in bundles is an ancient method we use to preserve the crop. We leave them in the sun for about three weeks until the seeds are ripe and the pods open. Placing the sticks in vertical bundles prevents the seeds from falling on the ground and reduces waste.
Threshing sesame
Abu Omar continues: “In the past, before the threshing machine was introduced, we used to thresh the sesame. We would spread mats on the ground and beat the bundles with sticks to knock the seeds out, but it was a difficult and tiring process.”
With the introduction of threshing machines, the process changed, but despite the use of sieves, the results are not entirely satisfactory. The seeds get mixed up with dust and seeds from other plants. Therefore, manual purification remains necessary, a task that Al-Qarqari performs using sieves to extract sesame seeds of the highest purity. Abu Omar emphasizes that the price of sesame depends on the size and quality of the seeds, which requires great care from planting to harvest.
Popular dishes
Mohammed Ibrahim, a pensioner, says: “The people in villages that traditionally grow sesame are famous for dishes such as sesame sauce, which is made by mixing ground sesame seeds with ground cumin and coriander. It is a very healthy dish because it contains calcium, fiber, and healthy sesame fats. It is also a popular and beloved dish.”
Historical overview
Sesame is one of the oldest oil crops in the world. Evidence of its use has been found in ancient Egypt, where its seeds were found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun (1350 BC). Drawings of the sesame plant have also been found in the tomb of Ramses III. Cups filled with sesame seeds were found in the tombs of Thebes.
Numerous writings on life in Pharaonic Egypt indicate that the ancient Egyptians used sesame seeds and oil in food. It was among the oils used in mummification and the manufacture of cosmetics. The Ebers Papyrus, the oldest medical papyrus, describes numerous medical recipes that include sesame.
Cultivation and production
Dr. Asmaa Abdel Halim, head of research at the Oil Crops Department of the Field Crops Institute at the Agricultural Research Center, explains: “Sesame cultivation begins in early April and continues until the end of May. It requires well-drained or sandy soil and is not suitable for saline soils unless the appropriate fertilizers are added.”
She adds: “Sesame is one of the most important industrial oil crops. It is used in the manufacture of tahini, halva, sweets, and baked goods.”
Abdel Halim points out that Egypt cultivates three main varieties: (Shandawili 3) has a yield of 7 to 8 ardebs per feddan and is characterized by its white seeds. The second variety is Toshka 1, which yields 6 to 7 ardebs per acre and has a creamy color. The third variety, Sohag 1, is red in color and yields 6 to 7 ardebs per acre. Farmers prefer the creamy variety for use in the food industry.
A promising crop
The sesame harvest in Assiut begins in early September. In 2025, the area planted with sesame reached approximately 1,801 acres, with a yield ranging from 500 to 800 kg per acre. Farmers describe this year’s harvest as promising and are calling on the government to provide more fertilizer.