Pakistan plans to earn about $ 3 billion annually from hemp production
Only a fifth of the hemp raw material grown on an experimental basis was sent to study the physical, mechanical, and other properties of hemp fiber. The vast majority of hemp raw materials sent to study the therapeutic properties of the hemp plant.
After the creation of an appropriate state program in 2020 for the cultivation of hemp plants, in 2021 three large Pakistani textile and knitwear manufacturers announced at once that they plan to replace cotton with hemp fiber. In April 2021, US-based Panda Biotech announced that the company is entering into a global partnership with Pakistan-based AGI Denim. In connection with the interest shown in technical hemp on the part of not only business, but also the government bodies of Pakistan, information on the results of the activities of individual government agencies that are engaged in cannabis production in Pakistan for 2022 and the decisions taken in connection with this is extremely interesting.
On August 30, 2022, a report was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National Science and Technology Council of Pakistan (a subdivision of the Ministry of Science and Technology) of Pakistan, which concludes that by 2026, the production of industrial crops of technical hemp can bring Pakistan $ 3 billion and thus to help the country diversify its exports by entering the extremely promising international hemp market.
The materials prepared for Pakistani government officials say that the global market for hemp products made from low-narcotic plant varieties is already about $ 45 billion and is likely to grow to $ 100 billion by 2026. Report prepared by government officials from several relevant ministries at once and departments was considered at the meeting of the above Council. During the event, the Minister of Science and Technology of Pakistan focused on the fact that as part of the research on the therapeutic and physical and mechanical properties of the hemp plant, 93 kg of hemp raw materials were obtained on an experimental basis at the University of Extreme Agriculture. From the above mentioned volume, 73 kg of leaves and inflorescences were sent for experiments to the relevant laboratories of the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) in order to obtain products rich in non-narcotic cannabinoids (in first of all CBD).
The remaining 20 kg of hemp raw materials were sent to the National Textile University (NTU) to conduct the necessary studies of the physical, mechanical, and other properties of hemp fiber, in order to determine the prospects for its use for the production of fabrics, as well as various kinds of textile and knitwear. products.
As a result of the event, it was decided that in order to implement the state policy of Pakistan in the field of modern hemp growing, an Office for technical hemp and medicinal properties of the plant should be created within the ministry. In addition, it was decided that it was necessary to hold a joint meeting with the Ministry of Justice of the country to study the current legislation of Pakistan in order to eliminate gaps in it and develop proposals for amending the regulatory framework aimed at developing modern hemp growing.
Commentary of the specialists of the “Ukrainian Industrial Hemp Association ”
I would like to note several key points at once, which follow from the information presented in the material:
- in fact, only a fifth of the hemp raw material grown on an experimental basis was sent to study the physical, mechanical, and other properties of hemp fiber. The vast majority of hemp raw materials sent to study the therapeutic properties of the hemp plant;
- based on the results of cannabis activities during 2021-22. government agencies decided on the need to form a separate structure that will specialize in issues related to cannabis production in Pakistan;
- based on the name of the state structure being formed, one can immediately say that Pakistani officials initially separate technical hemp and plants that have therapeutic properties;
- in order to ensure the development of modern hemp growing in Pakistan, the priority is to provide the industry with a regulatory framework aimed at creating conditions for the effective operation of various segments of the industry and generating additional financial resources for the country's budget;
- as it was positioned in 2021, in the interests of large textile and knitwear companies of the country, work is being carried out aimed at studying the properties of hemp fiber in order to gradually replace cotton with it.
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