Hadoti Sesame Til Kota Rajasthan

Sesame (Til — Sesamum indicum) is an important kharif oilseed and confectionery crop in the Hadoti region of southeastern Rajasthan centered in Kota, Bundi, and Baran districts — one of India's traditional til cultivation zones favoured by the region's Chambal basin black cotton and alluvial soils. White sesame (safed til) is the dominant variety grown for the confectionery market — its mild nutty flavour and attractive appearance make it preferred for chikki (brittle), til ladoo, til gajak (sesame-jaggery brittle), and tilpapdi (sesame cracker). Sesame is sown in July-August and harvested in October-November before the capsules shatter and spill the tiny seeds. Harvesting requires skilled timing and gentle handling — plants are cut and bundled while capsules are still partly green, then stood upright in the field to dry and shed seed naturally. Machine harvesting causes excessive shattering losses. Kota til gajak — a thin crisp peanut-and-sesame brittle made with jaggery — is a well-known Rajasthani winter sweet marketed nationally during Makar Sankranti. Premium white sesame from Kota is exported to South Korea, Japan, and China for sesame oil and bakery use. Rajasthan produces approximately 20 percent of India's national sesame output. Training in improved variety GS-1, moisture management for hull-less sesame, and FSSAI quality documentation for export sesame market.