France: Hemp cultivation area could grow by 100% in 5 years

The first panel discussion of the World Hemp Forum, which takes place today and tomorrow in Troyes, France, brought together Interchanvre, the International Federation of Hemp Organisations, and Hemp-It, moderated by Francesco Mirizzi, from the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA). The panel concluded that the area cultivated will certainly increase, but with the expansion comes new challenges in cultivation. These were identified and discussed this morning, in an industry that is expected to double in size in 5 years.

Hemp is on the rise, but with growth comes new challenges and opportunities. This is the outcome of the first roundtable on industrial hemp cultivation, which focused on the development of the sector, but also on the challenges associated with this growth. Franck Barbier, from Interchanvre, admitted that the industry wants to continue growing, and even assumes that in the next 5 years, the cultivated area could double. The president of Interchanvre admitted that France is responsible for more than 20% of hemp production in Europe, having already surpassed Canada in terms of global position in producers, currently occupying the second position in total cultivated area.

If this growth occurs, France will consolidate its dominant position, something that for Christophe Février also represents challenges that cannot be ignored, because the industry has been constantly reorganizing itself over the last 20 years, and today “there is innovation that did not exist before”. The director of Hemp-it added that today it is possible to create varieties with other types of mechanisms, such as molecular marking, but also to introduce varieties that present some dominant genes in order to reduce crop variability.

The panel concluded that the industry “has already invested, but there is more to invest”, and that taking into account the potential increase in cultivated area, it is necessary to structure and reorganize the transformation in order to be able to handle the increase, as equipment costs can add up rather quickly, and because “farmers without factories, and factories without farmers are an undesirable reality,” added Rachele Invernizzi, of the International Federation of Hemp Organizations.

In addition to the need for reorganization, the panel also discussed the need to develop new varieties that help compete in an environment with climate change. The president of Interchanvre explained that hemp is truly a carbon sequestering crop, with a performance of 50 tons of carbon dioxide sequestered per hectare cultivated. Additionally, when cultivated in the summer, hemp has a great impact, as the roots are as deep as the plant, allowing them to open and penetrate the soil, promoting oxygenation and soil regeneration. This effect is especially special because it can bring benefits and be responsible for 80% of the yield of subsequent crops.

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Antonio João Costa

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I am one of the directors of CannaReporter, which I founded together with Laura Ramos. I am from the unique Island of Madeira, where I currently reside. While I was in Lisbon at FCUL studying Physical Engineering, I became involved in the national hemp and cannabis scene and participated in several associations, some of which I am still a member of. I follow the global industry and especially legislative advances regarding the different uses of cannabis.

I can be contacted by email at joao.costa@cannareporter.eu

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