Top 5 hemp growing countries
April, 9, 2021 | posted in
Alright! Let’s cut to the chase and talk about this top 5 hemp growing countries:
5th – Chile
The main producer of hemp in South America, Chile harvests around 4,385 tons of hemp per year. Hemp has been a valuable crop to Chile and its people ever since the Spanish introduced it around 1545. Chile also ranks third in the world in hemp seed production, used mainly to produce hemp seed oil.
For years, Chile has also hosted the largest networking hemp fair on the continent, attracting professionals from the industrial and wellness sectors. The country’s climate, rich soil and a long standing tradition with agricultural are crucial factors for its success and leadership in the hemp industry.
4th – France
FACT, hemp cultivation is extremely common throughout Europe, but France is acknowledged as the main hemp producer on the European continent. The country has cultivated the plant for centuries, harvesting approximately 10,000 tons in 1994. Also, France is unquestionably the main producer of seeds in Europe, producing 59% of the hemp seeds utilized worldwide.
The variety of hemp grown in France is the best suited for the production of fibers and seeds. As a result, France is also the lead producer of cannabis-based pulp and paper which is distributed throughout the European Union.
3rd – United States
The fact that hemp production in the United States has reached the third spot in this global ranking is a great accomplishment. Just three years ago, the reality was quite different. In 2018, hemp tripled its acreage across the U.S., now reaching 78,176 total acres, and being grown in 23 states. The majority of hemp in the country is grown for CBD.
Indications show that the U.S. will soon be the leader on this list since the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill which legalized the crop nationwide. The clear importance and educational side of the hemp plant in the U.S. is now widely shared and openly discussed.
2nd – Canada
The cultivation of hemp in Canada was permitted in 1998. In 2017 the expansion became real when farmers saw an 80% increase in hemp production, reaching 140,000 acres. The majority of hemp cultivation in Canada mainly takes place in three Prairie provinces (Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan). Today there are between 300 and 500 farmers growing hemp throughout country.
Canadian hemp is predominantly cultivated for its seeds, these are used to produce hemp oils, hemp protein powders and hulled hemp seeds. This push for the seed itself is also a result of the industry in Canada using it for food products.
1st – China
Because industrial hemp was never banned in China, it is now the world’s largest producer. Its cultivation has been part of Chinese culture for thousands of years, and currently produces around 44,000 tons per year. In addition, the country is second in hemp seed production, representing 38% of the world total.
China is also a world leader in the production and export of textiles, paper and other hemp derived products. Although China has a long history with hemp, its industry only began to flourish after the country began researching and developing the plant in the late 1970s.
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