The first hemp crop to
come from New Zealand seed will be grown in the Catlins this
summer in a move its backers believe could open up a new
lucrative option for New Zealand farmers.
Long-time industrial hemp campaigner Mack McIntosh has fought
officialdom for more than two years to get clearance to grow
and market the only New Zealand-manufactured hemp cultivar.
A letter recently arrived in his Tawanui mailbox, confirming
the Director-general of Health had approved his "Aotearoa 1"
cultivar to be used to grow hemp for industrial purposes.
He likened the news to winning his own Olympic gold medal.
It also means growers no longer have to import seed from
Canada to grow commercial hemp crops.
The approval gives New Zealand growers the chance to
mass-produce hemp by-products, ranging from clothing and
soaps to biofuels.
Mr McIntosh came close to giving up on his battle for
permission, but yesterday said he had renewed energy to grow
the crop and see hemp become a new export and commercial
possibility.
The Clutha Agricultural Development Board has been involved
with Mr McIntosh's push for approval and believes hemp crops
could provide farmers with an exciting land use alternative,
especially in marginal areas where very little other forms of
agriculture were possible.
Board spokesman Malcolm Deverson said its membership on the
Catlins Industrial Hemp Group would now focus on establishing
the Tawanui crop this summer.
Planting would happen towards the end of this year, with the
harvest about late March-early April.
The area's latitude (46.5deg south) makes it not only the
southernmost hemp-growing area in the world, but offers some
of the best growing conditions possible.
Mr McIntosh said he could understand why his application took
so long because it was the first of its kind to be considered
by health officials.
Mr McIntosh would own the seed stock initially, but he hoped
the Catlins group would eventually own it and market it
nationwide and globally.
Mr Deverson hoped to promote the hemp seed development to
potential users.
He also believed several farmers might be interested in
growing small hemp crops in the south, offering the catalyst
to develop a new agricultural economy.
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