Industrial Hemp (Opportunities for Uttarakhand)

Industrial Hemp is the new buzz word in agriculture and business sector. A plant which was banned all over the world and was regulated under the NDPS act of 1985 in India, has suddenly gained so much prominence, why the sudden interest? you might ask. The reasons are economics and medicinal benefits of this plant.

About the legality of Industrial hemp till date, only one state is giving license for cultivation of Industrial hemp in India. Uttarakhand passed a Government Order in 2015 for the legal cultivation of Industrial Hemp, with THC of 0.3% or less. However first license was only issued in June 2018, since then there has not been much progress in this filed. As on today there are more than 25 farmers holding the license for the cultivation of Industrial Hemp in Uttarakhand, but due to ambiguity in the laws governing the imports of seeds, farmers are not able to grow the Industrial Hemp. My personal opinion is that govt of Uttarakhand will loose the early entry advantage in case states like UP, Bihar , MP start giving license for growing Industrial Hemp. All these states have big land bank with them where Uttarakhand has 71 percent forest cover and its topography is very varied. 

If Uttarakhand Government wants to take advantage of its early start, it must immediately rope in Govt Institutions like Pant Nagar university and Bharsar University for development of Industrial Hemp seed bank and they must not leave it on the private players who will try to take advantage of non clarity in the law. Uttarakhand  govt must send its ministerial delegation to the central government to apprise the situation of marijuana in India. "India has voted  at United Nations Commission on Narcotics and Drugs(CND) to remove cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs— where it was listed alongside deadly, addictive opioids, including heroin,” the UN said in a statement. 

Other states' businessmen will take notice of this development and start pressurizing their state govt. about seeing the benefits of Industrial Hemp and its possible role in changing the economy of that state. Before something of this types happen, state govt. of Uttarakhand must take proactive action and apprise the need of why only mountains states be allowed to cultivate industrial Hemp for at least next ten years after that other states may be allowed. After that Govt Agriculture machinery must swing into action and start sensitizing the farmers, identify the genetics of Hemp, Marijuana and other cannabis species growing in the state & start making new breeds.

Politically speaking it is time for incumbent Chief Minister to swing into action, form a special task force with senior scientists from Agriculture department, Horticulture departments, Ayush Department, Revenue department, water supply department and chalk out a plan to start Industrial Hemp cultivation at very large scale. This will ensure setting up of many industries in the state like that of garments, medicine, fibers, construction etc. Our present CM has the opportunity to change the economic face of Uttarakhand and he must quickly act on this opportunity.