Argentina’s Patagonia region has marked a milestone with the region’s first modern-era experimental hemp harvest. Officials say the event signals a potential economic and environmental transformation for the southern tip of the country.
Hemp stakeholders say growing global demand and supportive regulatory frameworks emerging across Argentina offer the opportunity to position the region as a leader in the national hemp industry.
“This crop could become a cornerstone of our local economy,” said María Emilia Soria, mayor of the city of General Roca. “We’re supporting Fundación Gen and local producers in this effort because hemp is a strategic bet for diversifying our productive matrix.”
A local nonprofit, Fundación Gen has taken a leading role in advancing hemp agriculture in Patagonia, working closely with public institutions, municipal governments, and private partners to establish supply chains and generate regionally adapted seed stock.
The foundation cultivated, harvested and processed hemp plants at two experimental plots. The harvested material was processed at a foundation facility, using a combination of NGO-owned and municipally provided machinery to separate seeds and to decorticate the stalks. The seeds will be used for oil and derivatives, while the stalks are destined for eco-friendly construction materials, according to the foundation.
Unique experiments
The hemp plots are located in Mari Menuco in the Province of Neuquén, and General Roca in the province of Río Negro, each with unique characteristics that signal Patagonia’s potential for agricultural diversification.
Neuquén, is better known for its man-made reservoir and proximity to Argentina’s oil and gas infrastructure than for any form of farming. The semi-arid terrain, wide open spaces, and sparse population have traditionally lent themselves more to energy development than agriculture. Government and private stakeholders see Mari Menuco as a testbed for unconventional crops like industrial hemp – part of a broader push to convert underutilized land into sustainable, revenue-generating assets.
In contrast, General Roca, located in the fertile Upper Valley of the Río Negro River, is one of northern Patagonia’s primary agricultural and urban hubs. Long renowned for its apple and pear orchards, the region benefits from a well-established irrigation system and agrotechnical know-how. It also serves as a growing center for research and innovation in sustainable farming. The foundation said the area is ideal to trial hemp cultivation in conditions more closely aligned with traditional agriculture that can leverage the area’s infrastructure, labor pool, and local government support.
Historical roots
Industrial hemp has deep roots in Argentine history: in 1797, national independence leader Manuel Belgrano drafted a hemp cultivation and processing plan, though the initiative never gained traction under Spanish colonial rule. Nonetheless, hemp crops were grown continuously in Argentina until the global war on drugs interrupted the industry in the 1970s. Much like in the United States, the Argentine government urged farmers to plant hemp in the 1930s in the national interest.
The harvest celebration this week brought together representatives from government, academia, and private industry, including representatives from the municipality of Ramos Mexía, the Federation of Business Entities of Río Negro, and several academic and technical institutions, including the National University of Río Negro and the National Institute of Industrial Technology.