Moldova’s government has approved amendments to regulations covering plants containing narcotic or psychotropic substances to allow for industrial hemp cultivation.
The Republic of Moldova is a small land-locked Eastern European country situate in the north-eastern corner of the Balkans. With a population of around 2.5 million, the economy’s relies heavily on agriculture. While it is one of the poorest nations in Europe, it may get an economic boost from industrial hemp.
Farmers wanting to grow hemp for the production of seeds, fiber or oil will need to submit an application to the Standing Committee on Drug Control. Only hemp varieties registered in the Plant Variety Catalog of the Republic of Moldova, the Common Catalog of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species of the European Union or the national catalogs of EU member countries will be allowed to be cultivated.
Prime Minister Dorin Recean is keen for a hemp industry to get cranking.
“I urge the whole business community, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to promote the use of this opportunity, because these materials are used in many industries, including the automotive industry,” he said. “It is a very good opportunity for the business environment of the Republic of Moldova, for farmers, as well as for those who produce components from industrial hemp.”
Industrial hemp could be of special interest to the nation’s farmers given its drought resistance. The Republic is at increased risk of drought and severe weather events. In 2020, a drought saw a nearly 30 percent reduction in agricultural output. According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Moldova has historically experienced drought once every 3 to 10 years.
“Industrial hemp is a profitable and easy-care crop,” says the government. “With a growing cycle of only 90 days, it allows two to three harvests per year.”
But it’s not quite that straightforward and Moldovan farmers will be late to the game when they get started.
According to the European Commission, The area dedicated to hemp cultivation for fibre across the EU had jumped from 20,540 hectares in 2015 to 33,020 hectares in 2022 – a 60% increase. The production of hemp increased from 97,130 tonnes to 179,020 tonnes over the same period, which was a 84.3% increase.
France remains the largest producer, accounting for more than 60% of the EU’s production, followed by Germany (17%) and The Netherlands (5%).
