Hemp sales get hull of a lift
AN investment of about $1 million in new machinery is leading to more jobs and an expanded product line at Geelong hemp food producer Australian Primary Hemp.
Its new hemp dehuller, which is able to process up to three tonnes an hour, is considered a major development in the hemp health food market as it will make Australian-grown hemp seed readily available.
The Australian hemp industry is gearing up for a huge growth in production following changes to the Food Standards Code permitting the sale of industrial hemp, as distinct from medical marijuana, to be sold as food.
The Newtown company said the machinery, which it switched on in April, was the only one of its kind and size in operation in Australia.
The dehuller has allowed a new line of products — Hemp Seeds, Hemp Balance and Hemp Boost — to be created alongside its Hemp Oil.
The company has added three permanent staff since the start of the year and it also employs up to eight casuals from People at Work Geelong.
APH director of operations James Hood said the worldclass machinery contributed to Geelong developing a reputation as one of Australia’s biggest hemp hubs.
“Along with the industry’s first Australian Industrial Hemp Conference being based in Geelong earlier this year, the town is definitely benefiting from the success of hemp,” he said.
Sales director Skye Patterson is seeing the demand for hemp seed both domestically and internationally continuing to rise.
“We have seen the demand for hemp seed processing and hulled hemp seed just boom since the dehuller has been up and running,” she said.
Australian Primary Hemp’s business and processing facilities are in Newtown with the hemp grown on its property in Western Victoria in addition to partnering with growers in Tasmania, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.