Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
1 Hemp: A Plant with a Worldwide
Distribution
Pierre Bouloc
La Chanvriere de L' Aube (LCDA), France
1.1 Where is Industrial Hemp
Grown?
The subsidies available to support hemp pro-
duction further ensure the accuracy of these
reported figures.
The production of certain other coun-
tries, such as the Baltic states and the
ten countries who began production in
2003, remains small. We know, however
(Chapter 2), that these Baltic states and
northern Russia were largely responsible,
during the 17th and 18th centuries, for
the supply of hemp to the navies of
France, Britain and Holland, to name the
largest three.
All the new members of the European
Union, historically having produced significant
hemp crops, have requested authorization to
continue production.
Among the countries of Eastern Europe
are Russia, Serbia and Romania. Historically,
they have devoted significant areas to the
production of hemp. Today, their produc-
tion is modest, although sooner or later
financial backing will be found to fund the
cultivation of this crop. It should not be for-
gotten that, despite various financial prob-
lems, countries such as Hungary, Poland,
Serbia and Ukraine maintain hemp research
centres that rival France's Fédération
Nationale des Producteurs de Chanvre (FNPC)
in Le Mans.
In Asia, modest production is reported
from countries like Korea and Japan. This reflects
Hemp is thought to have originated in the
Yunnan Province of China and its utilitarian
form, Cannabis sativa , has spread progres-
sively across the globe. In general, it demon-
strates a preference for the temperate zones
situated between the 25th and 55th parallels
on either side of the equator.
This great versatility is not unusual, for
there are many plants, including wheat, that
flourish in both the northern and southern
hemisphere. Historical records showed that
hemp was widely cultivated across most of the
planet by people who recognized its great
utility.
1.2
Modern-day Industrial Hemp
Production
Table 1.1 provides a comprehensive list of all
those countries producing industrial hemp,
even if their output is small. It bears testi-
mony to the ongoing importance of this
crop.
The information provided for the 25
European countries is particularly reliable, as
the figures are derived from an industry that
is strictly controlled and closely monitored.
 
 
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