Europe Awaits First Shipments of Kaliningrad Hemp
Hemp grown in the Kaliningrad region is set to be exported to Europe, marking a significant development for the local agricultural sector. This initiative is not part of any criminal activity; rather, it is a revival of hemp cultivation in the region, driven by the local narcotics control authorities.
It may seem surprising, but the idea to start cultivating hemp in Russia was first proposed by the now-defunct Federal Drug Control Service. The reason is that industrial hemp varieties not only lack any narcotic effect, but they also inhibit the growth of their illegal counterparts. Like two rival sisters, industrial and narcotic hemp constantly compete, but the industrial variety always prevails. In the Kaliningrad region, entrepreneurs from the Bagrationovsky district became pioneers in hemp cultivation.
Hemp has been grown near Bagrationovsk for three years now, covering about 500 hectares. While this is not enough for large-scale production, Kaliningrad hemp is environmentally friendly and grown without chemicals. It is highly resistant to diseases and pests, so there is no need to treat the fields with pesticides. Local hemp growers were the first in Russia to receive a European organic certification.
Government Support and Agricultural Benefits
At a meeting with local farmers, Minister of Agriculture Natalya Shevtsova expressed the regional government’s strong interest in developing hemp cultivation for several reasons.
“We have become so dependent on monoculture (mainly wheat) that crop rotation is now the number one issue for our fields. Hemp will be one of the crops we focus on,” said Natalya Shevtsova.
Industrial hemp not only avoids depleting the soil but actually improves its composition. “Hemp brings nutrients up from deep in the soil, especially phosphorus and potassium. When the leaves fall, they contain up to 52% phosphorus, which is a very high number,” explained Mindaugas Skruzdys, chief agronomist and co-owner of the farm.
Environmental Impact and Future Prospects
But that’s not all. Industrial hemp also cleanses the soil of contaminants. After the Fukushima disaster, hemp cultivation began in Japan, where it had previously been completely banned. The plant also absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to reduce the greenhouse effect. Hemp has a wide range of uses, including in medicine, construction, and textile production.
During the Soviet era, hemp was grown on up to a million hectares. Kaliningrad’s hemp growers hope, with government support, not only to cultivate hemp but also to manufacture export products from it.