Industrial hemp harvesting is in the high season in central Ukraine. It used to be a popular crop, but it has been forgotten for decades. Now its cultivation is reviving with new technology.
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“We may as well open a tour desk. Every day, several farmers come to see how to plant hemp and how to harvest it. We have equipment here for almost the entire production cycle, from mowers to harvesters, which form a well-rounded trust.”
Ma’Rijany Hemp Company restores the production and processing of industrial hemp. The company has 1500 acres of industrial hemp. It is currently building the first phase of a plant for the primary processing of hemp trust into long, short fibre and fescue. And it is harvesting its first crop of industrial hemp.
This is a unique process, so conventional grain harvesters are unfit for mowing hemp for fibre, as they are designed for a dry crop. Hemp has a green, long and strong stem. During mowing, the combine cuts it into two parts, 80-100 cm long. The mown hemp remains on the field for about 4-6 weeks. Then maceration starts.
“Maceration is essential for extracting the textile fibre from the stem. Here, despite the high temperatures during the day, the nights are cool and dew falls. In late August and early September, there are fogs. This means there is enough moisture and heat to complete the maceration process efficiently and produce good textile fibre.
After a year of growing industrial hemp, the company’s founder, Andriy Mykytiv, says they realised that there should be more varieties. There are more than ten varieties used abroad to spread the time of their maturation and reduce the need to harvest a large amount of raw materials at a time.
“Operationally, it is more complicated and requires more farm machinery. This is why varieties with variable vegetative periods will significantly ease the farmer’s task”
Growing hemp is not as easy as it might seem. It requires highly qualified agronomists and other specialists to grow hemp, the company’s management admits. This is unfortunately a problem today for two reasons: the weak popularity of the crop and many professionals are now in the military.
That report was powered by Latifundist Media, with USAID support provided through Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities (AGRO) Activity implemented in Ukraine by Chemonics International. For more information, visit their website or follow them on social media.
