A new peak in industrial hemp production in Germany

The size of the cultivated area also increased accordingly. After the ban on hemp grown for fiber, introduced in 1982, was lifted in 1996, the cultivated area had grown to 4,068 hectares by 1999. The abolition of EU support for industrial hemp has led to a reduction in the number of arable land and farms involved between 2010 and 2013; but since then the overall picture has improved. In 2019, the industrial hemp production area was 4,508 hectares and for the first time exceeded the 1999 peak. In 2020, the total area increased by an additional 854 hectares. Industrial hemp can be used either in the paper or textile industry, but can also be used as a building and insulation material or in animal husbandry as a litter. Hemp is a renewable raw material that can be used in many ways. In addition, the cultivation of industrial hemp benefits the soil and contributes to sustainable agriculture. With its deep roots, industrial hemp takes water from the lower layers of the soil, is largely ...