HEMP
Hemcore Ltd started in May 1993 when they were granted a Home Office licence to grow Cannabis sativa (Hemp) in Britain. Plant breeders have been successful in breeding out the drug content, Tetra-hydro-cannabinol (THC), from several varieties of Cannabis sativa. These varieties contain less than 0.3% of THC and the growing of them is subsidised by the European Union who are actively encouraging the growth of natural fibres.
In our first year we planted 600 hectares and at the same time we set up a primary processing plant in Felsted, Essex (now moved to Maldon, Essex) to separate the bast fibres on the outside of the stem from the inner woody core or pith. Nutrients are applied to the seed bed and the crop is drilled in late April or early May. No agrochemicals are applied to the crop whatsoever, Hemp grows so fast and provides such a large leaf canopy that it does not require a herbicide. So far it has not suffered from any pests or diseases that would require a spray. This chemical-free growing, rare in agriculture today, is part of Hemps green and ecologically sound background.
The crop is cut down when flowering commences which occurs at the end of July. The straw is baled and kept on the growers farm until it is called off for production in our factory.
Following
the separation process in our factory the woody core is packed
into polythene bales and
sold throughout the country as a litter for horses. The fibre is sold
into specialist sections of the paper industry and for use in the automotive and
insulation industries. We believe that the markets for annual crop
fibres such as Hemp will expand rapidly in the coming years. The demand is
growing for the production of more environmentally friendly natural fibres and
Hemp particularly can be used in a diverse range of products.