About new opportunities for agricultural business in growing industrial hemp, which have emerged, including with the legalization of medical cannabis
In Ukraine, industrial hemp production is rapidly growing, the products of which include a wide range of congealed products, fertilizers in industrial grub products, cosmetic products, firewood, gunpowder for shells, and now medicinal cannabis. In Ukraine, the law has come into force, which legalizes the use of cannabinoids in medical practice , which is found in hemp . The document contains points about the growth, development and control of industrial “medicinal” hemp through the “єHemp” system. It turns out that this was a change for farmers who want hemp. Also, looking at the innovations in 2025, according to the forecasts of the Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food, the area sown with industrial hemp may fall to a maximum of 8 thousand hectares in Ukraine. In the meantime, Ukrinform was impressed by the prospects of talking directly to the specialists.
Photo: t.me/Zhyvytskyy
VIEW OF SUPPORT TO PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIAL HONEY PRODUCTION
According to the Association for the development of hemp and hemp, industrial hemp is growing in over thirty countries of the world. The largest share of light production is in the Asian powers, where about 75% of light production is concentrated. Europe occupies only 15% of the total share, and plays an important role in the market for high-value processed products. For Ukraine, export of hemp to the EU is profitable, even if imported to this crop is zero.
The production of industrial hemp in Ukraine has been limited, and the sowing area has been reduced to 2-4 thousand. ha. Thus, during the SRSR, the area under hemp in Ukraine reached 120 thousand. hectares, and we had 35 processing plants, of which only three operate at a time.
“I don’t like to compare with the Radian period, but then the area under hemp in Ukraine was much larger. We had rope factories that supplied products to the shipbuilding industry in Europe. Powder factories functioned in the same way, extracting cellulose from industrial hemp from the plant. This strategy was not important for our country,” said Andriy Alechko, director of the company in the Industrial Park “Hempy UA”, a member of the State Council “Association for the Development of Culture and Culture in Ukraine”. .
Andriy Alechko. Photo: Facebook/AndriiAlechko
Due to the independence of Ukraine, in different periods there was both an increase and a decrease in the sown area of industrial hemp. Oleg Primakov, head of the scientific research department for the nutrition of intellectual power and marketing of the innovative Institute of Bast Crops, commented on Ukrinform, which, for example, in 2009, when Legislative efforts to grow hemp were greater, the planting area increased to more than 300 hectares, and only three companies were involved in this activity. After the liberalization of legislation, the area began to gradually increase.
“For Ukraine 3 thousand. hectares – these are not large areas, in 2016 the planting population was 3.5 thousand. hectares, for example, have become significant achievements for ham hemp production. Beginning in 2020, the areas stabilized around this level. After the large-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in 2022, the crop area changed to 2 thousand. hectares, and in 2023 the growth will be up to a maximum of 1.5 thousand. hectares all over the country. Torik mi mali 3 thousand. hectares, which were mainly sown in the Sumy, Zhytomyr and Chernihiv regions,” adds Primakov.
Oleg Primakov
Previously, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy predicted that after the law on the regulation of the growth of the hemp genus was approved, the sowing area could grow up to 8 thousand. ha. Andriy Alechko appreciates that it is completely realistic for Ukraine now, and moreover, such obligations can be established by one agricultural worker.
“To set up a plant producing hemp products, we need more than 7-8 thousand. hectares of industrial hemp crops. These are not such great areas for Ukraine. 15 years ago we didn’t grow soybeans, but last year 1.8 million hectares were sown with it and a record harvest was collected. Provide him with 8 thousand. hectares for the state can be created by one agriculturist,” the expert sang.
However, the Institute of Bast Crops is wary of making hasty forecasts through environmental, political and military factors. Primakov appreciates that the actual areas that can be covered by this fate are approximately 4.5 thousand. ha.
“There is no sense in simply praising the law – the need to change the approach. If farmers correctly understand the process and all stages, then it will be possible to grow hemp more effectively, and farmers can be prepared for new opportunities,” Primakov said.
In his words, if you have to wait more than one day for the grower to decide on a solution for growing hemp. And in 2026, as everything will be more or less normal, crop plantings may actually increase, even if people change their minds, or even increase in area by up to 4.5 thousand. ha.
Some farmers agree that only a few regions of the country are suitable for the cultivation of industrial hemp. Andriy Alechko noted that this is not relevant at all, but the main task is to preserve the growth of the shoots at the early stages, if the first 5-6 leaves appear. “We are planning to experiment with crops in the flooded regions. Torik was planted in the Vinnytsia region, as well as in the Cherkassy region, then in the center of Ukraine. This culture requires a basic understanding, but nothing special stands out,” added Alechko.
According to Oleg Primakov, Ukraine has one of the highest varietal potentials of hemp in the world. “If we talk about the potential of a variety, then it is possible to select that variety and that technology in order to allow hemp to grow in any corner of Ukraine. “In the future, we can help farmers select a variety, technology, determine sowing terms and determine the nuances of hemp cultivation,” added Primakov.
Photo: t.me/Zhyvytskyy
NEW SYSTEM OF REGISTRATION OF HEMP PLANTS
While the production of cannabis for medicinal needs is ongoing, it is clear that cannabis is divided into several types – in place of the psychoactive word tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Until recently in Ukraine, the permissible THC content for industrial hemp did not exceed 0.08%, which, according to data from the BRDO, effectively prevented Ukrainian producers from competing in the international market. In other countries, such as the USA, Canada, the EU and China, the permissible level of THC is 0.3%.
From the beginning of 2024, changes in legislation occurred in Ukraine, which increased the permissible level of THC in industrial hemp to 0.2%, with the prospect of reaching 0.3% in 2027.
In addition, the law involved many bureaucratic changes. Andriy Alechko noted that now industrial hemp can be grown without licenses from the State Service and without permission from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. “Previously, the process of “entering” this business took more than an hour and involved the terms of filing applications. The reform is now underway, and the launch of the “єKonopli” system has become an important step ahead,” the expert added.
Therefore, in order to legally grow industrial hemp, farmers must register in the “єHemp” registry, and the raw material, as it grows, must undergo two examinations for THC. The first examination takes place during the flowering hour, friend – before the collection I give birth. Most checks are carried out only by certified crime laboratories, of which there are two in Ukraine.
Farmers are concerned about the extreme complexity of the examination process, as some of the crops may lose their marketable value. “If at the hour of the first examination THC exceeds the permissible norm, it is necessary to conduct another examination 10 days after flowering, otherwise if the THC level is within the norm, another verification is not required,” Alechko began singing. I learned that in Ukraine there are actually a number of such laboratories. Resentment is a sovereign power, which allows the evil on the side of private structures to be avoided, due to the zoomic reduction in the level of THC.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food announced the creation of the “e Hemp” registry for the reliable registration of agricultural producers, systematization of data and improved processing of applications.
“Automatic validation of data in registration forms changes the accuracy of approvals when entering information,” the head of the Department for the Development of Digital Transformations in the Agrarian Sector said in a comment to Ukrinform Economics, Ministry of Agropolitics, Inna Dranytsia .
Complete integration with the Unified State Register of Legal Persons, Physical Persons – Entrepreneurs and Community Formations, the State Register of Speech Rights on the Main Street and the State Land Cadastre, the system also allows carry out cross-checking of data, which reduces administrative pressure and minimizes bureaucratic delays in the registration of agricultural producers. A unique element of the system is an interactive map that allows farmers to obtain information about their land plots where hemp grows. The map allows you to control the area of crops, yield and production volumes. “The Ministry has access to assess the illegal situation, in particular, to data on the productivity of various varieties of hemp, which allows us to highlight the most productive of them, but this information will not be public,” – Dranitsia adds.
The system also helps to detect violations: if the average THC value per river for another variety exceeds the permissible norm, the Ministry informs the National Police. Once the destruction of the offensive rock is repeated, the variety can be fenced for vikoristaniya in the industry.
According to the representative of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, from the moment the system was launched, the registration process began with several legal entities, including Zokrema and the Institute of Bast Crops.
“The interface is intelligent, and the basics are catching up. Also for those legal entities that legally conduct business, there will be no problems with registration. I just can’t say enough about some of the negative moments, even though we haven’t gone through the entire registration cycle yet, but so far the system has shown itself to be on the positive side,” said Oleg Primakov.
According to Inni Dranitsia, the Fund for Connected Europe is the implementer of the international project, essentially financing the creation and implementation of software for information and communication systems register of legal entities “єKonopli”. Also, specialists from the Ministry of Digital Transformation created the Action.Engine platform, and IPRSA experts helped in discussing ideas, creating technical knowledge and communicating with retailers.
“We thank all our partners for their additional help. In particular, it is due to the Fund for Shared Europe that its assistance in implementation is not without the idea, and it is also being promoted within the legal and regulatory field. It is understandable that the country may direct its costs to the most important considerations, so the Fund, for the time being, financed this project,” the Ministry of Agrarian Policy stated. Dranytsia predicts that in the coming years the number of registered farmers will increase, so Ukraine has every chance of becoming a leader in the growth of industrial hemp.
Photo: hempy.com.ua
HEMP CELLULOSE – NEW POTENTIALITY OF GROWTH OF GALUSIA
Farmers can extract income from industrial hemp already at the early stages of production, for which they need to clearly determine what they want to focus on.
Oleg Primakov says that the growing hemp for grain can be harvested around 70-80 thousand. UAH per hectare, with investments in virobnitstvo 30-40 thousand. UAH, which will ensure good profitability. If the farmer also sells crops, profitability can increase by 20%. Therefore, the larger the area of crops, the greater the potential for profit, taking into account the fact that contracts have been laid down.
It has been scientifically established that in order to increase the profitability of farmers, they can begin processing cheese, for example, for today. In his words, the producers are working to establish an institute for assistance in the formation of individual models of production.
“For those who deal with major agricultural crops, hemp cultivation does not require significant investment in technology. Some of the machines and units necessary for harvesting processing can be used in the form of basic agricultural crops – grain harvesters and equipment for the production of hay. Specialized equipment is needed to extract hemp for fiber. “In Ukraine, people are vikorist rather than the deeds of the state,” Primakov added.
In spite of the fact that the galusa has a negative effect, Andriy Alechko confirms that such activity is a profit. He recognizes the underlying problems, despite the current technology for harvesting and production, which is already engaged in the cultivation of industrial hemp, and in connection with nutrition. In Ukraine there are already a number of enterprises that are engaged in primary processing. The potential for the development of clay processing is great, which is what the Hempy UA industrial park is focusing on.
Alechko also noted that there is a company in Ukraine that supplies hemp fiber to the European Union, including Lithuania, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. In other words, Europeans are concentrated in the products of primary processing. You can’t transport hemp straw from great hands, so the butt is important, as the primary processing is important. It is better to allow Ukraine not only to grind the milk, but also to produce the products with the (even insignificant) added varity, by closing the fire.
“For example, the yield of hemp straw (hemp straw, – ed .) amounts to 120-130 euros per ton, while the primary products of processing, such as hemp fiber, can bring up to 600-650 euros per ton, and hemp rump – 300 euros per ton. Moreover, this product is more promising for our farmers, and even Europe has no quota for them,” said Alechko.
In Ukraine, a variety of products are produced from commercial hemp plants, food products (olea, boroshno, milk, hangers, baked goods, chocolate), cosmetics (milo, creams), textiles, clothes, vzuttya, hats, rich in hemp masks, hemp crafts and useful materials. Nowadays, there is only a small part of the hemp plant, and even, according to Alechka, hemp is of strategic importance for the region, from which it is possible to prepare a key product for gunpowder production – cellulose.
“Even acidic gunpowder can be extracted from industrial hemp, and from trinitrocellulose itself, prepared from hemp cellulose. If you add more gunpowder, you can work on the technology. It’s really from hemp that miracle cellulose is made,” Alechko said with respect.
Factories for the production of hemp cellulose are already operating in France, not only for gunpowder, but also for paper and automobile production, for some necessary components.
“For Ukrainian farmers, the benefit lies in the fact that profits can reach up to 1000 dollars per hectare. This is a wonderful display for these times, and we are on our way until then. We sing about what is possible to achieve. It is important that hemp is a strategic crop,” the expert added.
Alechko predicts that in just 2-3 years Ukraine will be able to ensure such production, for which it is necessary to increase the sowing area and improve primary processing technologies.
Primakov also noted that there is significant potential in the primary processing market, which has not yet been achieved. Significant investments are required for clay processing. In other words, in Ukraine there are ten enterprises that otherwise engage in primary processing, and there are significant opportunities for development.
“The best option would be to launch one pulp mill into the market that would produce hemp fiber products for paper printing. This would become a river, and even sirovina for 5 thousand. hectares of industrial hemp can be provided to such a plant. This opens up new possibilities for galusi,” adding Primakov.
We also voiced the importance of government support, especially in the areas of improving the implementation of legislation and ensuring the security of agreements. The first crops have already been broken, but it is still necessary to obtain abundant nutrition from the synergy of the state, business and farmers.
Galina Tibin , Kiev