New Zealand government allocates $1.34 million to support cannabis development in the country
The fact of investing significant financial resources in the New Zealand modern cannabis sector, which specializes in working with the fibrous part of the plant, eloquently indicates that not only the United States and China, but also other economically developed countries consider businesses associated with the commercialization of the exclusive properties of the fibrous part to be one of the most promising areas for the development of modern hemp growing. parts of technical hemp.
It makes sense to learn from our foreign colleagues how to lobby for the development of certain sectors of modern cannabis. The New Zealand example of public investment aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the industry segment associated with the cultivation and processing of the fibrous part of the plant, among other things, suggests that it is in this area of modern hemp growing that New Zealand hemp growers see a promising global niche in which they are trying to gain a foothold, including through creation of production chains aimed at the production of export-oriented products in demand by the market.
The Ministry for Primary Industries of New Zealand announced at the very end of 2021 that the Sustainable Food and Fiber Futures Fund (“SFF Futures”), which is part of the above state structure, is contributing $ 1.34 million to the research and development project hemp company "New Zealand Natural Fibers" (NZNF), which will last more than 5 years.
According to Steve Penno, director of investment programs at SFF Futures, “This project aims to add significant value to the national hemp fiber growing and processing industry, as well as stimulate the creation of new opportunities not only for local, but also for the national segments of the economy. associated with modern cannabis production.
According to the NZNF, the resources provided by SFF Futures will be used to increase the capacity to grow, process and market technical hemp. In particular, NZNF CEO Colin McKenzie says that “I am very pleased that the company received government support to develop hemp fiber, which has great potential. The NZNF methodologies for using the fibrous part of the hemp plant could be part of the solution to some of the most serious environmental problems facing our planet today.”
Commentary of the specialists of the Association “Ukrainian Industrial Hemp”
New Zealand's Department of Commodity Industries is helping to harness export opportunities for the country's new agricultural sectors, including increasing the productivity of the hemp sector, ensuring the safety of manufactured goods, and increasing the sustainable use of local resources to create export-oriented products. SFF Futures is part of the New Zealand Government's efforts to create opportunities to improve the competitiveness of the country's agricultural sector, as well as the role it plays in the island nation towards a sustainable economy.
This is not the first time SFF Futures has provided financial support to the New Zealand hemp industry. In October 2021, he provided nearly NZ$760,000 for a program that aims to introduce science-based cannabis cultivation to further the medical use of hemp raw materials. He also provided $202,000 to develop sustainable hemp fiber production technologies and processes without the use of chemicals. In addition, the foundation supported a project aimed at creating a pilot plant for processing hemp grain, which will also be able to convert hemp production waste into marketable goods.
The fact of investing significant financial resources in the New Zealand modern cannabis sector, which specializes in working with the fibrous part of the plant, eloquently indicates that not only the United States and China, but also other economically developed countries consider businesses associated with the commercialization of the exclusive properties of the fibrous part to be one of the most promising areas for the development of modern hemp growing. parts of technical hemp.