Industrial Hemp Cultivation to Start in Buryatia
The Minister of Agriculture of Buryatia, Galsan Dareev, announced that in 2022, the republic will begin cultivating industrial hemp on a large scale. Oil will be produced from the plant material.
Successful Experiment in Hemp Cultivation
Last year, farmer Tamir Shagdarov, in partnership with the Buryat Agricultural Academy, conducted a study on the profitability of growing industrial hemp varieties. The farmer planted the crop on 100 hectares and extracted 12.5 tons of oil from the harvested yield. During field trials, Shagdarov found that the THC concentration in the hemp did not exceed the legal limit in Russia of 0.1%.
The average seed yield of hemp reached 5 centners (500 kg) per hectare, and the weight of the oil obtained was 25% of the seed mass. This means that from the raw material collected from 1 hectare of hemp, it is possible to produce 125 kilograms of oil. The wholesale price for 1 kilogram of hemp oil reaches 700 rubles. Thus, the profitability of hemp cultivation is estimated at 87,500 rubles per hectare. Rapeseed, the main competitor to hemp in Buryatia, brings in 28,800 rubles per hectare. Therefore, growing hemp is three times more profitable.
Hemp Oil to Be Exported to China
Given the excellent results of the experiment, this year Buryat farmers will increase the area sown with oilseed crops fivefold. Farmers plan to plant 750 hectares with hemp, 500 hectares with rapeseed, and 300 hectares with flax. Shagdarov plans to expand the farmland dedicated to hemp and rapeseed cultivation fivefold. Tamir intends to produce both oil and animal feed from hemp.
According to Dareev, hemp oil will be exported to China, and hemp fiber will be sold to the Baikal Textile Company and the Selenginsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill. In China, hemp oil is in high demand because it is widely used in traditional medicine and cooking, so farmers are not expected to have problems selling their finished products.
Risks and Recommendations for Farmers
Despite the higher profitability of hemp compared to rapeseed, the government of Buryatia is promoting the cultivation of both crops. Officials believe that hemp cultivation carries a risk related to exceeding the established THC concentration limit. If the cannabinoid content exceeds 0.1%, the farmer will have to destroy the entire crop, resulting in significant losses. To avoid bankruptcy, farmers are advised to use part of their land for rapeseed cultivation.