Pingyu White Sesame

Pingyu White Sesame

Pingyu white sesame is a Geographical Indication Protected Product.

Pingyu white sesame is a Geographical Indication Certified Trademark.

　　Pingyu County’s white sesame is listed as a National Geographical Indication Protected Product and is the second most important crop in the county after wheat. Pingyu County is the largest production base of white sesame in China.

　　In 1980, Pingyu white sesame was awarded the title of “High-Quality Product” by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. In 1988, Pingyu County was designated as a white sesame foreign trade export base county by Henan Province. In 1997, it was approved by the state as a commercial oilseed base county. In 1998, it was listed by the State Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision as a pilot county for standardized white sesame cultivation. In 2000 and 2001, the National Financially Supported Science and Technology Poverty Alleviation Project for Standardized White Sesame Production was implemented for two consecutive years. Currently, the county’s white sesame planting area remains stable at around 500,000 mu, ranking first in China in terms of planting area, total output, and annual export volume. It is known as the “King of Sesame in the Central Plains.” As early as the 1980s, Pingyu County developed high-yield, high-quality white sesame varieties such as “Yu Zhi No. 2” and “Yu Zhi No. 6.” For over 20 years, the Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences has conducted research on new white sesame varieties in Zhangmiao Village, Donghuangmiao Township, successively developing new varieties including “Yu Zhi No. 5,” “Yu Zhi No. 8,” and “Yu Zhi No. 10.” Pingyu white sesame is renowned both domestically and internationally for its large, plump grains, thin skin, thick flesh, snow-white color, and rich, aromatic flavor. It is a traditional export commodity of Pingyu County, with an annual export volume of about 15 million kilograms, playing a significant role in foreign exchange earnings. Pingyu white sesame has a high oil content, and the “small mill sesame oil” produced from it is considered a delicacy among cooking oils. Rich in various nutrients, vitamin E, C, linoleic acid, and more, it is hailed by Western countries as the “Queen of Nutrition.” It helps soften blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and promote healthy hair and skin. The small mill sesame oil from Pingyu County is made using traditional methods and hand-ground, resulting in a brownish-transparent oil with a long-lasting aroma. In 1986, it represented Henan Province at the National High-Quality Agricultural Products Exhibition held at the Beijing Agricultural Exhibition Center, where it was praised by the then Minister of Agriculture, He Kang, as having “the best small mill sesame oil in all of China.”

　　Small Mill Sesame Oil Production Base in Fengtang Village, Shuangmiao Township, Pingyu County

　　　　Sesame oil is categorized into small mill sesame oil and machine-pressed sesame oil, named for its rich and enticing aroma. Since it is made from sesame seeds, it is also called “sesame oil” or “oil of sesame.” In ancient times, sesame was referred to as “foreign hemp” or “fat hemp,” and thus sesame oil was called “foreign hemp oil” or “fat hemp oil.” Sesame oil is considered the finest among oils, with sesame being honored as the “Queen of Oil Crops” and sesame oil as the “King of Plant Oils.”