Sesame is a survivor. It can grow with very little water, and hence survives even in drought seasons. On the other hand, excessive water doesn't trouble it too much either, though in both cases, output is lower than when it receives just the right amount of water.
There are many, many varieties of sesame, a lot of them in the wild.
The seeds grow in pods, which burst only when they are fully ripe. Since this occurs at different times, farmers generally harvest the pods before bursting and store them until they ripen and open up.

Processing and Storage
The seeds being so flat and tiny, they are difficult to dry. So, care is taken to harvest them in as dry a condition as possible.
Once harvested, the seeds have to be cleaned and hulled. This is easier said than done, because they are so small. It is extremely time-consuming, not to mention back-breaking, to clean the seeds manually. Even the sharpest eye can fail to spot gravel and small stones that are the exact colour and shape of the seeds themselves. Also, the seeds could be of different sizes and colour after processing. The best quality sesame is that which is of uniform colour and size, and is perfectly clean.
Modern technology, such as the German-made Buhler machines used by the Idhayam Group, ensures absolute purity in packaged sesame seeds. The Sambandhi brand of sesame seeds can be used with complete confidence, straight from the pack, for all culinary needs.