Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
This volume is still small, but its continued
growth suggests that the demand for hemp
seed may become as significant as the current
global demand for hemp fibre. Leson (Chapter
16) addresses the American interest in this
product that accounts for this expansion.
This all points to a profusion of all sorts
of projects and initiatives and suggests that
hemp production may continue to grow in
importance over the coming years. Today,
production is focused very much on hemp
seed. It is not realistic to imagine that this
market will be able to soak up all of the hemp
produced. It will therefore be necessary to
consider other end uses: in particular, the
development of hemp straw as animal bed-
ding and its use in the automotive industry are
examples worth citing.
The possibility of selling hemp straw to
the American equine industry is worth explor-
ing. North American car manufacturers are
already familiar with the use of natural fibres,
so here the potential for the use of hemp can
be explored.
In terms of prices, the purchase price of
organic hemp seed is approximately US$0.85/
lb, or US$1.87/kg (wholesale price during
2005). This equates to €1.55/kg in 2005.
Raw fibre sold at €0.82/kg (where €1 =
US$1.21).
Working from these figures, it is possible
that the average gross revenue per hectare of
organic hemp is of the order of €928/ha.
Traditional products yield a revenue of €606/
ha. A review of these figures shows that the
harvesting of hemp seed alone ensures the
profitability of this crop. These figures can be
compared with those obtained for other hemp
products produced across the world, and
described in Chapter 8, 'The Agricultural
Economics of Hemp'.
Finally, it is worth noting that the various
interest groups participating in the develop-
ment of hemp have formed themselves into an
organization capable of standing up for their
various professional interests with intelligence
and pugnacity.
The Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance
(CHTA), or
Alliance Commerciale Canadienne
du Chanvre
(ACCC), represents some 80
hemp farmers, 13 processors, 15 distributors,
8 retailers, 12 researchers or consultants and
2 associations. In addition to their role in pro-
moting hemp to the public and providing infor-
mation, this association conducts studies that
seek to demonstrate the various uses of hemp
and its health benefits. Their work serves as an
excellent example of the efficient and practical
role of a professional organization.
NB In 2009/10, Canada had some
12,800 ha under hemp cultivation and antici-
pated that 13,000 ha would be cultivated in
2010/2011 (source: Agriculture Canada -
20.2 Past, Present and Future
of the Hemp Industry in Serbia
20.2.1
History of industrial
hemp in Serbia
Hemp is a crop with a very long tradition of
growing and processing worldwide, especially
in the eastern part of Europe, including the ter-
ritory of the former Yugoslavia and the present
Serbia (Berenji, 1996b). Hemp was introduced
long ago in Serbia. There is evidence of con-
siderable hemp production in the 15th and
16th centuries. The Turks evidently taxed
hemp production in Serbia. The Austro-
Hungarian empress, Maria Theresa, recom-
mended in 1765 that only high-quality hemp
should be grown in this area. Therefore, the
Imperial Chamber of Commerce settled colo-
nists from northern Italy in northern Serbia
(the present Vojvodina Province), who trans-
ferred high-quality Italian hemp, along with the
skills of hemp cultivation and processing, from
Italy to Serbia.
The production and processing of hemp
in Serbia has been concentrated primarily in
the Province of Voïvodine, although produc-
tion was well known across the whole country.
Serbia was, in fact, the biggest hemp producer
in the old Yugoslavia (Makendi ´, 1937). Peak
production was reached in 1949, with a total
area under cultivation of 108,215 ha. At that
time, Yugoslavia was one of the largest hemp
producers in the world, the area under cultiva-
tion amounting to 25% of the total land under
cultivation in Europe (excluding the USSR) and
6% of worldwide production. Despite this,
