Although the cultivation of cannabis i.e. Hemp Farming is not common farming, that is because such cultivation is banned in most of the states. The main reason for the ban is that its leaves are used for intoxication, a drug like charas is the product of cannabis leaves. But the point to be understood here is that the cannabis used for intoxication is different, and the cannabis used for making different medicines etc. is different. Which can be called Industrial Hemp or Industrial Hemp.
Any state has permitted to do Industrial Hemp Farming, cannabis cultivation is completely banned in most of the states. The main reason for this is that the type of cannabis used for industrial cannabis and intoxicants is the same, so it is a bit difficult to differentiate between them. But recently some districts of Uttarakhand like Champawat, Pauri etc. have started giving licenses for Industrial Hemp Farming.
Hemp and hemp fibers are used to make a variety of products in industries, and due to the migration to Uttarakhand, people’s fields are left barren due to the fear of wild animals damaging the crop. Keeping this barren land in mind, the government has started providing licenses for Hemp Farming to the people. Since the responsibility of giving license and control of that crop has been entrusted to the district administration, so far not all districts have started giving licenses for it.
The biggest advantage of doing Industrial Hemp Farming is that neither any wild animal nor any domestic animal harms this crop. And the climate of India is also considered favourable for the production of this crop, but there is a negative attitude among the people towards the cultivation of cannabis. This is the reason that even the governments are bound to ban this type of farming.
Why would Hemp Farming get permission in Uttarakhand?
This question must have been flashing in your mind when Hemp Farming is banned in the whole country, then why Uttarakhand is giving a license for the cultivation of cannabis. Agriculture in Uttarakhand has been almost wiped out by wild animals, monkeys and lack of irrigation and migration. Where earlier the crops used to flourish, today those fields are lying barren. Since cannabis is a crop that does not require irrigation, it is not harmed by any wild animal, nor is it threatened by monkeys.
This is the reason that the Uttarakhand government wants the farmers to become financially empowered and increase their income by doing Hemp Farming in their barren fields. If this happens, then its positive effect on migration can also be seen. According to one figure, a farmer can earn up to three lakh rupees from one hectare of land by cultivating cannabis.
But the government is also afraid that under the guise of Industrial Hemp Farming, the drug business may not increase across the state. Therefore, the state government has given the responsibility of granting the license and controlling it to the district administration. By the way, industrial cannabis is already being cultivated in various countries like China, France, Canada, America etc. The lowest amount of intoxicant in this type of cannabis is found to be 0.30 THC. But despite this, the Uttarakhand government has allowed only its seeds and fiber to be used from the cannabis plant. The use of its flowers and leaves is still banned.
Presently, the products produced from industrial hemp farming are being made from plant fibre to the body of the car. A wide variety of products are made, including lubricants, oils, paints, varnishes, paper, textiles, etc. Many types of medicines and cosmetic products are also made from the flowers, leaves of this plant. Because of such huge possibilities, the state government wants to give licenses to the people by bringing hemp farming policy to Uttarakhand.
Characteristics of the Cannabis plant
The botanical name of the cannabis plant is Cannabis indica, many species are found in India. There are many species in which up to 30 THC are intoxicated. Whereas the variety used for Industrial Hemp Farming contains only 0.30 THC intoxication, which is much less than that of common cannabis. Even today, people in North India use bhang with sweets and Thandai on the occasion of Holi.
This plant can grow up to 3 to 14 feet high in a year, when this plant is fully grown, round stalks start to grow in its upper part and these stalks produce fibers or fibers. Cannabis plants are also divided into male and female, where the production of fiber is more from the male plant, while the seeds and intoxicants are obtained from the female plant. Hemp seeds are also used to extract oil and as a spice.
Many products made from hemp fiber can be seen in Uttarakhand even today, among which Chandpur is a famous cannabis plant house in Garhwal. In mountainous areas, such plants are grown even without sowing, so according to the rules, industrial hemp farming can be a life-changing decision for any farmer or entrepreneur. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a chemical that is responsible for intoxication and is rarely found in industrial cannabis.
What should be done if you want to do Industrial Hemp farming?
Learn About State Laws Do you live in a state or district where Industrial Hemp Farming is not legally prohibited. So you can start this type of farming by taking a license from the district administration or the concerned department. By the way, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS, Act) empowers the Government of India to permit the cultivation of cannabis for industrial and horticultural purposes.
But the central government can only allow industrial hemp farming for such species of cannabis in which the amount of THC is very low. The lack of technology and standards to test the number of psychoactive elements available in which species is also the biggest obstacle. This is the reason that now the central government takes decisions based on solid research results for the cultivation of industrial cannabis. The Uttarakhand government has taken permission for industrial hemp farming in the state only due to the results of the research done by the association.
It is clear from the above things that if an entrepreneur or farmer wants to do Industrial Hemp Farming, he first needs to know the state or district in which he is living. Is it illegal or prohibited to do such farming there? After that such cultivation can be done only after taking a license from the concerned department or district administration. In the states or districts where cannabis cultivation is prohibited, it cannot be done.
FAQs
Q. How much can be earned from the cultivation of cannabis?
Ans. One can earn up to three lakh rupees by cultivating cannabis in one hectare of land.
Q. Do wild animals or monkeys harm cannabis cultivation?
Ans. Wild animals and monkeys do not harm the cultivation of cannabis. There is no need for separate irrigation for this.