Residents in the northern province of Balkh are producing sesame oil in the traditional way to make ends meet. 

According to people in the sesame oil business, local producers prefer the production in the traditional way rather than using modern manufacturing methods.

Ezatullah, who has been working in a sesame oil mill for 20 years, said that he has been producing 25 to 30 kilograms of sesame oil per day. 

“After we perform the morning prayer, we work till 9 pm to earn a little bit of money,” he said.  

Currently, there are five active sesame oil mills in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital city of Balkh, however previously the number of these local factories was over a dozen.  

According to producers, the high price of this oil prohibits sales, which in turn lowers production.

“Sesame oil is used to cook rice and some traditional sweets,” said Ghulam Nabi, the owner of a mill. 

Meanwhile, sellers of the sesame oil said that the people who can afford this oil are still using it.  

“The companies purchase our sesame oil and they export it. One kilogram costs 350 Afs,” said Abdul Rasoul, a seller. 

Khairullah, a farmer in Khulm district of Balkh, said that he had planted 20 acres of sesame seeds and he is happy with the income from the profits. 

“We bring sesame seeds to Mazar-e-Sharif to sell. One kilogram costs 115 Afs,” he added. 

In the meantime, officials at the Balkh department of Agriculture said that sesame seed production has increased by more than 40% this year compared to last year. 

The provincial agriculture department said that over 3,243 tons of sesame seeds were harvested this year, which shows a high increase compared to the sesame seed yield in the previous year. 1,720 tons of sesame were cultivated in the previous year, according to the department.