France has significantly increased its role as a major exporter of industrial hemp raw materials, a notable shift from its historical focus on domestic processing. This change is highlighted in a new sector overview from FranceAgriMer, the French government agency that monitors and analyzes the nation’s agricultural industries, as reported by Hemp Today.
For decades, most of France’s industrial hemp production remained within the country, primarily supporting its self-contained processing system for fiber, hurd, and seed. However, this trend began to change in recent years. French hemp exports, which were nearly nonexistent before the 2021-22 marketing year (totaling just 415 metric tons), saw a sharp increase. Shipments rose to 47,950 metric tons in 2023-24 and maintained a level of 47,765 metric tons in 2024-25. Approximately 72% of these industrial hemp exports are now directed to other EU member states.
France’s Growing Production Base
FranceAgriMer states that France is the world’s second-largest producer of industrial hemp, after China, and cultivates more than half of the EU’s hemp fields. In 2024, France cultivated 22,600 hectares of hemp, involving around 1,550 growers. This acreage has doubled over the past decade. According to the report, production reached 140,000 metric tons of processed hemp straw and 11,000 metric tons of seed. Seven processing plants are active, mainly concentrated across northern France.
The Grand Est region remains France’s primary hemp-growing zone and a core industrial cluster for processing. Regional agricultural authorities indicate that Grand Est accounted for 11,752 hectares of industrial hemp in 2024, representing about 46% of France’s Common Agricultural Policy declarations for hemp. Production is concentrated in the Aube and Marne departments. Organic hemp farming in the region also expanded from under 100 hectares in 2015 to approximately 1,500 hectares by 2022.
The French Approach to Cultivation and Processing
France’s established hemp industry is built on a foundation of certified seed, cooperative processing structures, and a focus on fiber and grain markets. French breeding programs have prioritised varieties that offer higher fiber yields and very low THC levels, aligning with industrial applications. The report indicates that hemp straw yields typically range from six to eight metric tons per hectare, while grain yields average about one metric ton per hectare. France is also expanding trials for textile-oriented hemp as Europe’s natural fiber supply chains continue to develop.
Full Utilisation of the Hemp Plant
The FranceAgriMer overview highlights the extensive development of downstream uses for nearly every component of the hemp plant within France:
- Hempseed: Primarily used for food products, oils, protein ingredients, bird seed, and fishing bait.
- Hurd: Employed in animal bedding, construction materials like hempcrete, and landscaping mulch.
- Fiber: Supplies the paper, insulation, composite, and textile markets.
- Dust and Fines: Even low-value by-products are recovered for energy production and composting.
The report also points to an imbalance in the French hemp value chain: hurd accounts for the largest share of processing output by weight, but fiber generates the highest economic return. Fiber contributes 50% of the total economic value despite making up only 28% of the product weight. This economic dynamic influences French strategies, which increasingly focus on higher-value fiber markets, particularly those tied to construction materials, advanced composites, and textile development.
Industry Structure and Future Focus
France’s hemp sector is coordinated by InterChanvre, the country’s interprofessional hemp body, which facilitates development efforts between growers and processors. InterChanvre formally excluded flowers from its scope in January 2024, reinforcing the distinction between France’s industrial hemp economy and the cannabinoid sector. The organisation collaborates with entities such as the National Federation of Hemp Producers (FNPC), the Hemp Processors Union (UTC), and research bodies like Fibres Recherche Développement (FRD) and the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE). This regional concentration of production and primary processing infrastructure allows France to operate as an integrated industrial system, further consolidating its position in European industrial hemp exports.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Hemp Gazette does not provide medical recommendations, diagnoses, or treatment plans. Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before making any decisions regarding your health or any medical condition. Statements concerning the therapeutic uses of hemp, cannabis, or cannabinoid-derived products have not been evaluated by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Medicinal cannabis products in Australia are accessed via prescription pathways under TGA regulation.
