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Where in the World is Hemp grown for food, fibre and fuel?
Europe
Total European acreage for production has risen dramatically,
from 10,000 acres in 1994 to 40,000 in 1998. This is mainly due to the large subsidy given to farmers by the European Union (230 Pounds Stirling per acre, or $310 US Dollars). However, many growers in Spain are growing the crop purely for the subsidy and therefore not all the European acreage is processed.
There are 15 Industrial hemp processing facilities in Europe with
major facilities in Holland, Germany, France, UK and Poland. On average,
farmers in Europe are making a profit with Industrial hemp due to a
combination of high yields and the EU subsidy. However the gross margin higher on cereals and grains than Industrial hemp.
Industrial hemp yields in Germany and Holland have averaged from
3-4 tons per acre while further north the UK average is 1 and 1/2 ton per acre.
UK
Lifted hemp prohibition in 1993. Paper, textiles and animal bedding have been developed, in fact one of the first customers for Hemcore's hemp hurds horse bedding was the stables of Buckingham Palace. Hemcore, a
farmers co-op, now have permission to grow seeds (and develop their
own strains) on an island between Wales and Ireland. A government grant was given to develop new markets for natural fibers. 4,000 acres were grown in 1994.
France
Never stopped growing hemp - it was always produced for speciality papers (cigarette papers, banknotes etc). France is the main source of viable low-THC hempseed. Harvested 10,000 tons in 1994. Grew 11,000 acres in 1997. The amount of hemp grown in France has been increasing steadily for the past few years. French fields now account for about half of the European Union’s hemp production.
Throughout France there are hemp museums and hemp feasts that illustrate the different methods and steps of the work associated with hemp in the past. These ancient gestures are kept alive in some regions, and are today testimonials of a forgotten tradition.
Spain
Grows and exports hemp pulp for paper and produces rope and textiles (canamo).
Portugal
Italy
Italy currently has only a few hemp processing facilities, mainly producing fabric, furnishing, and clothing. Despite difficulties, it is possible to grow low THC fiber hemp in Italy. An Italian shoe manufacturer
is planning to reach an agreement with the government to grow and process hemp domestically for his shoe production. In the
'50s, Italy was the second largest hemp exporting country in the world, just behind Russia. Hemp was grown throughout the country - 29,000 hectares were planted in the region of Emilie-Romagna alone in 1952. In the '60s, hemp cultivation went into decline due to production and economical factors, and drug legislation caused cultivation to stop altogether in 1986.
Germany
Only banned hemp (hanf) in 1982, but research began in 1992 and many technologies and products are being developed. Clothes and paper are being made from imported raw materials. Germany lifted the ban on growing hemp November, 1995. Hundreds of hemp shops and 2 magazines.
The German hemp industry continued its steady growth during the second year of legal hemp farming. 2,812 ha (7,000 acres) was grown in 1997, twice the 1,423 farmed in 1996. At the same time, the number of hemp growers declined from 571 to 475 and hemp farming was concentrated in the vicinity of existing or planned processing plants.
One of the first products from German hemp are insulation mats,
designed to replace fiberglass insulation material in low-cost/low-energy homes. Hemp is not yet used in German cars, but it soon will be:
almost all major car manufacturers ran pre-production trials in 1997 with good results. Hemp has technical advantages over other natural fibers, such as lower susceptibility to mold and fogging, and offers greater price stability.
Holland
Is conducting a four year study to evaluate and test hemp for paper, and is developing and piloting processing equipment. Seed breeders are
developing new strains of low-THC varieties. A main focus of the Dutch research has finding new crops which can be grown in rotation with their standard crops. They have found that rotating crops can control potato parasites, without needing pesticides.
Denmark
Planted its first modern hemp trials in 1997. Committed to utilizing organic methods.
Finland
Has had a resurgence of hemp (hampu) beginning in 1995 with several small test plots.
Switzerland
Not only grow low-THC, but also normal hemp (so long as no drugs are
derived from it) - grown since 1994.
Austria
Has a hemp industry including production of hempseed oil, medicinals and Hanf magazine. Seed, especially organic seed sells well. EC-subsidized hemp cultivation rose to 674 hectares by 259
companies in 1996.
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Grows hemp and manufactures currency paper. Supplies the Hungarian mills.
Hungary
Rebuilding their hemp industry, and is one of the biggest exporters of hemp cordage, rugs and hemp fabric to the U.S. They also export hemp seed and hemp paper. Relatively little hemp is actually raised in Hungary. The raw material is sourced from countries like Romania, Slovakia and the Ukraine, and then processed in ever-modernized mills in Hungary.
 Hemp Cultivation in Hungary: http://www.ecolution.com/
Romania
The largest commercial producer of hemp in Europe. Total acreage in 1993 was 40,000 acres. Some of it is exported to Hungary for processing. They also export to Western Europe and the United States.
Poland
Currently grows hemp for fabric and cordage and manufactures hemp particle board. They have demonstrated the benefits of using hemp to cleanse soils contaminated by heavy metals.
Slovenia
Croatia
Yugoslavia
Ukraine
One of the oldest hemp industries in the world but falling into
disrepair unless there is western investment. 5,000 acres of hemp were grown in 1996. Ukraine's Institute of Bast Crops are planting industrial hemp to remove contaminants in the soil near Chernobyl.
Russia
One of the top three producers of hemp along with China and India.
Maintains the largest hemp germ plasm collection in the world at
the N.I. Vavilov Scientific Research Institue of Plant Industry (VIR)
in Saint Petersburg. They are funded by the International Hemp Association but still in need of funds.
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