-says there is ‘great promise’ for the industry

CO-FOUNDER of Guyana Hemp Industries (GHI), Michael Kirton, has said that President Irfaan Ali’s announcement of plans to steer marijuana farmers towards hemp cultivation is encouraging.

For him, this is a sign of “great promise” for the recognition and legalisation of hemp in Guyana.

During a press conference on Sunday, President Ali encouraged persons who are currently planting marijuana to repurpose their lands and other resources to facilitate the local production of hemp.

He noted that they already have the necessary skills and other resources to benefit from what he described as a great investment opportunity.

“Great opportunity lies ahead in terms of the hemp industry and what it can do in terms of the technological push, construction material, pharmaceuticals. I have looked at some numbers, unbelievable numbers on the return per acre and I have a duty, the government has a duty to analyze all of this,” he added.

When contacted on Monday, Kirton told the Guyana Chronicle that the President’s announcement is an indication of government’s intention to reduce the production of marijuana. He said that this drug will be replaced by hemp, which does not possess the chemical found in the marijuana plant that is responsible for the “euphoria” experienced by persons who use it.

Kirton told the Chronicle that the organisation welcomes the president’s invitation, as it signals government’s commitment to legitimising the production of hemp in Guyana.

“Hemp is now in the spotlight in Guyana and many Guyanese are now interested in investing in hemp. In keeping with the announcement by the President. We fully support him, because as the President said they have the skills to plant marijuana, so they have the know-how to plant hemp,” Kirton noted.

Hemp currently makes possible the production of over 25,000 different commercial by-products, including a super food, clothes, and construction materials, fuel, medicines, paper, plastic, textile and countless other products.

The hemp fibre has great tensile strength and durability, and is used to produce more than 5,000 textile products, ranging from rope to fine laces. The wood ‘hurds’ remaining after the fibre has been removed contains more than 77% cellulose, and can be used to produce more than 25,000 products.

Additionally, hemp plants contain low levels of the intoxicating phytocannabinoid known as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), for which marijuana is well known.

HEMP POLICY
Guyana’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act 1988 provides for the criminalisation and possession of, and trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and cultivation of certain plants, among which cannabis is included by virtue of Section 3 of the First Schedule.

This legislation prohibits the cultivation of hemp in Guyana.

In July 2021, government approved the Guyana Hemp Policy which paves the way for cultivation of industrial hemp.

A legal and regulatory framework is currently being crafted before the first hemp seed can be planted.

Vice-President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo during a recent meeting with GHI representatives had noted that the Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) will be the first regions where the cultivation will occur.

In 2021, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C, completed his revision of the laws pertaining to the subject matter and forwarded his recommendations to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, for his perusal.

Nandlall was tasked with advising the government on whether hemp is a narcotic under the laws of Guyana, and the legality of its cultivation.

“I examined all the literature available on the matter, and I advised that the type that is being proposed to be cultivated here is not a narcotic under the Act and that it would not be unlawful for that quality of hemp to be cultivated in Guyana,” Nandlall said.

Meanwhile, in 2020 alone more than 700 farmers from across Guyana have signed up with the Guyana Industrial Hemp Association, thereby signalling their interest in cultivating hemp for industrial use.

The association, formerly known as the Region 10 Industrial Hemp and Farmers Association, was formed in 2016. Earlier this year, the name was changed to cater for inclusivity, and in keeping with the outcomes of several nationwide consultations.

Its president, Aaron Prince, had previously disclosed that investors are already eager to invest in what would be a major sector in Guyana. He noted that the association has been involved in discussions with international companies such as the Australian firm, Textile & Composite Pty Ltd, which wants to invest in the domestic market here.

The investors have expressed their desire to import machinery such as decorticators, an important piece of equipment into Guyana to separate the tough, woody interior of the hemp plant from the soft, fibrous exterior.

They plan to work alongside local farmers and pay the market price for the locally grown hemp, Prince had explained.

He added that such an occurrence will create numerous jobs, not just in the farming sector, but for Guyanese from all walks of life.

In Latin America, only seven countries: Uruguay, Paraguay, and Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Brazil and Argentina, produce hemp.