Italian hemp growers will soon be able to receive up to 300 euros in public aid per hectare. The Minister of Agriculture has just signed a decree to help so-called “minor” agricultural sectors, which therefore include hemp. In all, the sector will benefit from a plan of three million euros. A boon for Italian hemp growers, who are already far ahead of their European competitors.
” The decree provides for aid per hectare equal to 300 euros, within the limit of 50 hectares. It also concerns research on new varieties of hemp, for methods of rapid THC control and on mechanization. Finally, we provide assistance to companies which invest in the post-harvest of hemp and in installations for drying, cleaning products, scutching ”, precise to Canapa Industriale the deputy Giuseppe L’Abbate, who worked on the decree.
MP and Minister Stefano Patuanelli “Believe firmly in this culture with a thousand industrial, pharmaceutical, construction and food uses and not just fun as some would like to belittle it ”. He hopes this new money will help ” strengthen synergies between operators in the sector, create a system, and improve production by focusing on research ”.
Italian hemp is already ahead
In the future, these public subsidies could strengthen the advance of Italian hemp. At the industrial level, several regions are already relying on bioplastics, obtained from the fiber of the plant. In terms of cannabinoid production, Italians are the only ones in the European Union (EU) who can grow hemp with 0.6% THC. This allows a more highly dosed CBD than elsewhere.
Logical consequence: many French CBD sellers are supplied in Italy. Especially since the Court of Cassation allowed flowers to be sold in France if they are imported from an EU country. Calabria, in the south of Italy, is even nicknamed by some “the valley of the CBD”. This is what recently showed a report from Special Envoy, on France 2.
Another example of Italy’s weight in this industry? The director of EIHA, the lobby responsible for promoting hemp to European institutions, is called Lorenza Romanese. And she is Italian.