Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
In order to resolve this problem, the agrono-
mists of the Institute of Field and Vegetable
Crops in Novi Sad have combined forces with
mechanical engineers from the Faculty of
Engineering and Science in Novi Sad and from
the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in
Belgrade. Prototypes of two machines have
been built and tested. The first machine is a
primitive reaping and binding machine used
for harvesting seed-producing hemp, but is
also able to harvest straw-producing hemp.
The second machine is a threshing machine
that passes through the crop in advance of the
first machine, thus ensuring both phases of the
hemp harvesting operation. These machines
need further refinement but are already pro-
ducing satisfactory results. Other work to
develop and improve harvesting equipment for
seeds and fibre is under way (Martinov
et al
.,
1995, 1996).
In spite of the fact that industrial hemp is
rapidly gaining importance due to numerous
novel opportunities for utilization (Berenji,
1996b, 2004; Berenji and Sabo, 1998; Berenji
et al
., 2001), public opinion about hemp is still
frequently linked primarily to drug consump-
tion. It is therefore important to talk and write
about this crop objectively, without avoiding
the topic of hemp's potential as a drug, but
placing emphasis on all the advantages that
make hemp an attractive crop for production,
as well as on processing and utilization in the
near future (Berenji, 1998).
Hemp, or more precisely the psychotrope
tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, is listed among
the substances (drugs) whose production, distri-
bution and use remain illegal in Serbia.
Theoretically, this means total prohibition for
growing
Cannabis sativa
. In practice, pre-
sumed intention may serve as the grounds for
placing one under suspicion of taking part in
an illegal activity. On the other hand, no spe-
cial licence is necessary for farmers to grow
industrial hemp. The impression is that sen-
tences are often passed for possessing hemp
or plant parts containing THC far below the
level necessary for a detectable psychoactive
effect. Such sentences are based merely on the
confessions of the offenders that their intention
is to use hemp as a drug. From the point of
view of commercial hemp production, this atti-
tude is acceptable but obviously the legislation
should be refined further in order to differenti-
ate more precisely and more objectively
between non-drug industrial hemp (low THC)
and drug hemp (high THC).
The modernization of hemp production,
processing techniques and technology requires
considerable investments that currently are not
available to the domestic hemp industry.
