Institute Of Bast Crops Expects Industrial Hemp Plantations To Expand In Ukraine

The relevant statement was made by Head of the Department for Research on Intellectual Property and Marketing Innovations at the Institute of Bast Crops Oleh Prymakov in a commentary to Ukrinform.

According to Prymakov, since 2020, the area of industrial hemp plantations had been around 3.5 thousand hectares. However, with the start of the Russian full-scale invasion, it reduced to 2 thousand hectares. In 2023, Ukraine's hemp plantations amounted to about 1.5 thousand hectares. Last year, farmers sowed 3 thousand hectares, mainly in the Sumy, Zhytomyr and Chernihiv regions.

Earlier, the Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry noted that hemp plantations might expand to 8 thousand hectares following the adoption of the law on the state regulation of hemp crops circulation.

Prymakov believes that the actual area of hemp plantations may reach about 4.5 thousand hectares this year, as this process is affected by economic, political and military risks.

“It makes no sense to simply adopt a law – we need to change the approach. If farmers correctly understand the process and all stages, then it will be possible to grow hemp more efficiently, because the farmer must be ready for the new requirements,” Prymakov stressed.

In his words, sometimes one has to wait for more than one year for the producer to make a decision on hemp cultivation. Thus, in 2026, under the stable conditions, hemp plantations may indeed rise, but currently there are only prerequisites for them to expand to 4.5 thousand hectares.

Some farmers believe that only certain regions of Ukraine with higher humidity are suitable for growing industrial hemp. However, according to Hempy UA Industrial Park Management Company Director, Flax and Hemp Development Association of Ukraine Public Union Member Andrii Alechko, the main task is to maintain moisture in the early stages of plant development as the first five to six leaves appear.

“This year we are planning to experiment with crops in the southern regions. Last year we sowed [hemp] in the Vinnytsia region, as well as in the Cherkasy region, i.e. central Ukraine. This crop needs basic care, but it does not require anything special,” Alechko added.

As emphasized by Prymakov, Ukraine has one of the best varietal potentials of hemp in the world, as it is possible to choose a variety and technique allowing for hemp to be grown in any part of the country.

MENAFN24032025000193011044ID1109350171