While in Italy there is still a debate on a possible regulation of hemp that protects operators, workers and customers, a very positive testimony comes directly from the market: the production that covered approximately 400 hectares in 2013, has increased to over 4 thousand in 2018 !
The Canadians (who legalized last October ) were the ones to notice the potential of this sector in Italy, which also benefits from a territory and agricultural know-how that is envied by the whole world. In November, they invested massively in a well-known light cannabis company, acquiring 47% of it for approximately 4.8 million Canadian dollars.
This time, however, the matter is even more interesting: the company in question deals with pharmaceuticals and cosmetics based on industrial hemp, thus producing essential oils and distillates from our favorite plant. It is built by Canapar Corp , a company controlled by the Canadian Canopy Rivers, with an investment of 25 million Canadian dollars , in Sicily, precisely in the city of Ragusa .
The plant has incredible growth potential, in an innovative sector such as industrial hemp. Also interesting is the agreement of the new company with Sicilian farmers for the cultivation of inflorescences (with a THC content lower than 0.2% and therefore perfectly legal): the hectares that will be processed will be 1000, with a production capacity of 600 tons of biomass. The products will then be processed inside the plant, which currently employs 10 people, but which in the company plans will grow to become 30, to then be exported using the nearby commercial port of Pozzallo.
In short, a particularly interesting investment, as it has been structured around a 360-degree economic and social eco-system, based on the potential of the territory and the workers, with a series of direct and indirect benefits for Ragusa and the whole of Sicily!
According to Il Sole 24 Ore , some estimates indicate that the hemp extract market could reach a value of 2.1 billion dollars by 2020 , with a growth of 700% compared to 2016. As already mentioned, the investment is not "only" important for a sector that has often been mistreated and for the job market, but also has implications for research: a project has been launched in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the University of Catania to allow the development of technical and scientific knowledge, for the development of new varieties suited to our very particular Mediterranean climate and for cultural evolution.
“ We decided to invest in Sicily, both for its strategic geographic position in the center of the Mediterranean and for its history as the main region producing industrial hemp in its recent past . – declares Sergio Martines , CEO of Canapar Corp - Ragusa was identified, subsequently, for the high potential of its industrial hub, despite a general framework of difficulties of which we are well aware, with leading companies also at an international level, good economic liveliness, competitive costs, good level of administrative services, including public ones, compared to other Sicilian provinces and the presence of the commercial port of Pozzallo, which for us constitutes a plus for our logistics, in any case very diversified ”.
Of particular interest is also the processing of Cannabis waste, in fact, Martines declares in this regard that: “This phase is under development, we are interested in composite materials, peat, feed and in having a zero carbon footprint from the industrial cultivation process of hemp. ”
Well what can we say, for once we are proud of the courage of these people and we can't wait to see the plant in operation!
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