Sesame is one of the oldest crops and an important oil yielding crop with oil content of 40-50% and popularly known as Til or Gingelly. The sesame seeds powder, Paste and its oil is widely used in various dishes as a flavoring agent. In India the sesame crop is cultivated as kharif, summer.

Sesame is grown in almost all the states in large or small areas. The crop is grown in almost all parts of the country. More than 85% production of sesame comes from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.