Could hemp be NZ’s next big thing?

In any large family there will be the earnest brother or sister and the fun-loving, irresponsible sibling. So it is with Cannabis sativa, in which one variety, known as hemp, has a huge range of potential applications, while the other, with a high concentration of the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is called marijuana.

Both varieties of the plant look the same in a field or garden. Perhaps it is that botanical similarity that has held back hemp’s possibilities because, for those convinced of marijuana’s wickedness, the sight of those telltale spiky leaves spells trouble.

Things may be changing for the better, however. By the end of the year we should get a firm steer on what kind of future the bureaucrats see for the hemp industry, especially whether food products for humans containing hemp or hemp seeds will be allowed. At present, hemp proteins can only be sold as food or supplements for pets.

The joint trans-Tasman agency Food Standards Australia and New Zealand is currently examining a proposal to allow such foods. This time our Food Safety Minister, Jo Goodhew, is supportive of low THC hemp-seed food; that was not the case in 2002 and early last year, when food ministers on both sides of the Tasman rejected the recommendation of the authority to approve the food.

Hemp is touted by an increasing number of suppliers, growers and users as a wonder crop. Its fibres are well-known for their strength and can be used for clothes and upholstery, and even as pressed bricks in the construction industry. Hemp oil is a key component in some skin-care products and health supplements, and is even used in salad dressings.

We are not talking about the widespread harvesting of a plant that can be turned into a euphoric drug. Hemp has almost nonexistent amounts of THC, less than 0.35 per cent, compared with medical marijuana’s 5 to 20 per cent and up to 30 per cent for some strains. Hemp also has a much higher concentration of cannabidiol, which reduces or eliminates the euphoria from THC.

Hemp advocates say the plant offers huge opportunities for the national economy. It has possibilities as a biofuel, as a milk, does not need fertiliser to grow, is a great fixer of nitrogen in the soil for other crops, binds eroding soils together and has a small environmental footprint, one that reduces emissions. It is also a raw ingredient for biodegradable plastics.

A licence to grow hemp commercially costs $511. The returns can vastly outweigh that investment. A senior lecturer at Massey University’s institute of agriculture and environment, Huub Kerckhoffs, estimates a farmer could make a gross profit of up to $6000 per hectare from hemp. NZ Hemp Industries Association treasurer Richard Barge believes that could be turned into $40,000 a hectare with a solid business plan.

We need to get over any lingering prejudices about hemp. With a blinkered view, the country could miss out on a massive economic bonanza.