Analysis fiber hemp
Why is the cultivation of fiber hemp not growing explosively?
Anyone who is not familiar with the cultivation of fiber hemp will be surprised by the fields in the northeast of the Netherlands. Nothing is further from the truth, because this concerns the cultivation of industrial hemp. Industrial hemp is used for its strong fibres, food products and many other industrial applications and has been thriving in Europe in recent years.
It is not for nothing that the cultivation of fiber hemp is confused with the cultivation of cannabis plants. After all, they are family and very similar. Fiber hemp contains hardly any THC (less than 0,2%), the substance that provides a psychoactive effect.
France leads in acreage
In five years, the area of fiber hemp has almost doubled in Europe. In 2020 there was more than 36.000 hectares, compared to less than 2015 hectares in 20.000. France accounts for half of this. Other countries with relatively high growth are Italy, Romania, Estonia and Germany. In the Netherlands we do not see this rising trend again and the acreage has been declining steadily in recent years. In 2021, the area of fiber hemp in our country stood at 1.703 hectares.
The fact that the acreage in Europe is increasing so strongly is due to the reintroduction of fiber hemp. In the past, cultivation was under pressure due to an increase in the use of synthetic substances. Fiber hemp and flax cultivation were no longer profitable as a result. The tide has now turned. As a raw material for the textile industry, hemp is much more sustainable than cotton and other fabrics. This demand for the hemp fiber has only increased in recent years. The versatility of hemp is also incomparable. The fibers are used in construction materials, paper, foodstuffs, cosmetics and CBD oil. The latter will be officially authorized by the EU in 2020.
Cultivation and production
The cultivation of fiber hemp is described as quite easy. For example, the chapter on weeds in cultivation does not actually occur and you will hardly encounter diseases and pests due to resistance. Because the crop grows densely very quickly, weeds hardly get a chance during cultivation. In addition, the crop needs only a few nutrients and a good production can already be achieved with a minimal application. Another side effect is that this plant is seen as a soil improver due to its extensive root system. Fiber hemp is now also on the EU's list of sustainable arable crops.
Fiber hemp is sown in April and May and can grow up to 4 meters high. From August, the large harvesters drive through the field. The main purpose of the cultivation is to obtain the fibers with the straw, which in recent years in the Netherlands had an average yield of between 7 and 8 tons of dry straw per hectare.
Difficult to apply in construction plan
The versatility of fiber hemp is surprisingly great, but cultivation is still difficult to fit into the Dutch cultivation plan. Very sporadically you come across a field in the Netherlands with fiber hemp unless you are in East Groningen or the Veenkoloniën. That is certainly not due to the cultivation or the rotation, but many other things. Harvesting fiber hemp alone is very complex, with the most important thing being to separate the fibers from the wood core as best as possible. Due to the harvesting method and the stiffness of the fibers, additional processing is required. Because the technology is so complex, there are high costs involved.
Another disadvantage, and the biggest one, is that the sales market works very differently compared to other crops, such as onions or sugar beets. Processing must be realized for these various components of the hemp plant and then sold, which is difficult to set up on an agricultural company.
Nevertheless, in 2021 there was no less than 1.703 hectares of fiber hemp, of which more than 80% grows in the northeast of the Netherlands. This is because the processing companies of fiber hemp take on almost the entire cultivation and processing. They own the complex harvesting machines and processing for the right market. The farmer actually doesn't have to do anything except for sowing and minimal fertilization. Subsequently, cultivation during the season requires virtually no attention due to the resistances and rapid growth of the crop. As soon as the crop has grown, the companies that process the hemp fiber come to harvest everything. 2 companies that are active in the province of Groningen HempFlax en Dunagro.
The major challenge is to substantially scale up the cultivation of fiber hemp. Due to the increasing demand for vegetable fibers and other components, there are certainly opportunities, but this is not immediate. The biggest challenge here is the economic aspect of processing and marketing it. The right machines and equipment are complex and expensive, and for the time being, hemp fiber cultivation is only profitable on a large scale. For the time being, cultivation in the Netherlands will not increase as explosively as in France.
Jesse Torringa
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