Challenges, Chances for Indian Hemp

The free cultivation of hemp in India is coming as a broad interest group has formed around the Indian Industrial Hemp Association (IIHA) and forward-thinking Indian entrepreneurs begin to test their mettle in the industry. Despite the ban on free cultivation, however, IIHA has guided two states through the approval process to grow hemp for research and development projects. Uttrakhand was approved to plant 1,000 ha while Jharkhand was OK’d to plant hemp on 3,000 ha in the first half of 2016. Three other states, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Manipur have applications under governmental review, also under the guidance of the Association, and could be ready to begin trials by the end of this year.