The hemp can be grown on a variety of soils throughout the world. Lighter, less fertile soils, can still produce a good crop of hemp where cereal crops (barley and wheat) would struggle to produce.
Hemp can be grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides.
It is straightforward to grow and can be harvested using adapted conventional equipment. Thus, with the over supply of traditional cereal crops in Europe and North America, it offers the farmer a realistic alternative without the need for new equipment. Tle hemp crop not only comes with sound ecological advantages but could offer a genuine economic alternative to farmers.
The root structure helps to bind the lighter, sandy soils and prevent wind erosion.
Hemp provides three times as much fibre per acre than cotton. While cotton is grown on only 3% of the world’s farmland it uses 26% of the world’spesticide.
Hemp is the earth’s primary renewable source. It takes 100 days from sowing to harvest for a hemp crop. Trees cut down to make paper will take up to 30 years to grow to maturity after replanting.
Industrial hemp should not be confused with its “cousin” crop of cannabis sativa. Hemp does not contain the quantity of thc. Thus a “joint” the size of a telegraph pole would still only offer a large headache to any would be smokers!
It must be the most versatile and green crop we have. Hemp is used to make clothes, bags, soap, candles, cosmetics, paper, hammocks, rugs, matting, car parts and even snowboards!
