Following months of planning, market research, business development and Government engagements, Hemp Seed Solutions, a subsidiary of Hemp Solutions, has been awarded the first bulk Hemp Seed importation, sale and distribution licence in South Africa.
The reclassification of Hemp as an Agricultural crop has opened many opportunities for creating a Hemp Economy in South Africa. On average, three people are needed to tend to one hectare of Hemp in small-scale or rural agriculture. With industrial-sized Hemp farming, mechanisation and automation, the number of people will be less. Hemp Solutions is seeking 2000 Ha of dried Hemp biomass per annum within the next four years, creating potential employment for between 1000 to 6000 people.
Up to 50 000 uses of Hemp have been identified. Within South Africa, there is currently very little manufacturing of Hemp consumer goods products, primarily due to the lack of availability of Hemp raw materials and the high cost of importing Hemp fiber, Hemp Hurd and Hemp seeds. As the availability of Hemp raw materials increases during the next few years, there will be many opportunities for entrepreneurs and corporates to develop products and launch goods and foods into the market. Consumer goods manufacture of products that never existed in the SA market has the opportunity to create many more job opportunities.
Before any consumer goods can be produced, the Hemp farmers will have to grow the crops and therefore need Hemp seeds. Hemp Seed Solutions have conducted extensive market research on many seed varieties from the USA, Poland, Australia, China, Malawi, and Europe. "Following extensive due diligence, fiber and oil seed varietals have been selected from Europe," says Marianne Brown, Director: Hemp Seed Solutions. The first order of 12 Tons of Hemp seeds should be available in South Africa within the next few months.
"It has been hard work over many months to establish a Hemp seed bank and obtain all the necessary permits and customs clearances to be able to be in a position to soon offer Hemp seeds for sale to the South African Hemp industry," says Marianne.
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