{"id":758,"date":"2023-02-16T11:10:38","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T11:10:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/?p=758"},"modified":"2023-02-16T11:27:02","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T11:27:02","slug":"hemp-farming-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/?p=758","title":{"rendered":"Is SA ready for the hemp crop?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"758\" class=\"elementor elementor-758\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-81464c1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"81464c1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4b91579\" data-id=\"4b91579\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8fb494f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8fb494f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.8.0 - 30-10-2022 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Is SA ready for the hemp crop?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e82729b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e82729b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-289d9a9\" data-id=\"289d9a9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ea9c2ff elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ea9c2ff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.8.0 - 30-10-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#818a91;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#818a91;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While we are able to apply for and get our <strong>hemp permits<\/strong>, does this mean we are ready to farm? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most countries that have taken back to hemp farming have an extensive background in hemp farming and processing with machinery dating back to the 1930&#8217;s. South Africa does not have this history and are needing to come up with intuitive methods to process the hemp plants.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-12be939 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"12be939\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7cd48b0\" data-id=\"7cd48b0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee20fb5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ee20fb5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.8.0 - 30-10-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"938\" src=\"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/hemp-permit-819x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/hemp-permit-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/hemp-permit-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/hemp-permit-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/hemp-permit-600x750.jpg 600w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/hemp-permit.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ec88e86 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ec88e86\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6e95bbd\" data-id=\"6e95bbd\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8612010 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8612010\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the \u201cboer maak n plan\u201d (farmer makes a plan) mentality, we ought not be too concerned by the current lack of farming machinery and infrastructure to achieve what we need to in terms of processing ability. We are seeing the likes of John Deer releasing their hemp harvesting tractor as well as industry pioneers developing decorticators that are reverse engineered from other basic machines from China. Where we might see bigger victories is in developing machinery that can cater to our specific needs in the hemp industry. There is a big difference in harvest methodology if our stalks are 2cm thick versus 7cm-10cm thick. Not only harvest but also to process this into secondary products like hemp hurd or hemp fiber, an industry standard portable decorticator might not be strong enough to withstand hemp grown in South Africa. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the focus of this article is in our ability (or lack thereof) to process the industrial hemp, we must keep in mind that the product needs to be sold (at large scale) to buyers who take the biomass to retail level products. Farmers are reluctant to farm if there is no buyer. South Africa is a notoriously conservative nation and for some, they would prefer not to engage with this taboo plant. Fortunately due to the changing legal status and rescheduling of CBD, we now find cannabis products making their way to grocery store shelves in many shapes and forms including CBD infused beverages and oils. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ba5e517 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ba5e517\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ab23e92\" data-id=\"ab23e92\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-82c11fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"82c11fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"686\" src=\"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Screenshot-2022-12-12-at-17.04.07.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Screenshot-2022-12-12-at-17.04.07.png 800w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Screenshot-2022-12-12-at-17.04.07-300x275.png 300w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Screenshot-2022-12-12-at-17.04.07-768x703.png 768w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Screenshot-2022-12-12-at-17.04.07-600x549.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9fc3357 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9fc3357\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-43dbbff\" data-id=\"43dbbff\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b35f4de elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b35f4de\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa does not host a seed bank of certified seeds that farmers could tap into for supply, the seeds need to be imported by private agents and distributed to wanton farmers. We lack the data that is needed to make larger farming decisions, like which train to work with when farming up to 50 hectares of land. The currently listed \u201cSA Hemp 1\u201d and \u201cSA Hemp 2\u201d\u00a0 hemp strains are far from laudable regarding their yield and there is a lack of supply of this seed with agencies like the Agriculture Research Council. We need to look offshore to find compliant seeds and this transaction makes for limited access to this industry. It must be noted that our brothers and sisters in the amaPondo region, EC, are sitting on ample supply of their local landrace seed, but this seed yields up to 3% THC which is beyond the 0.2%THC hemp limit. We can celebrate the lobby efforts of concerned citizens that allowed for the introduction of regulation 10C(1)(k) <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cexempting, or providing for the exemption of any persons or classes of persons, from any provision of any regulations in terms of this section which imposes conditions or obligations\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill currently on Parliaments tables.<\/span><\/p><p><br \/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We have news of Canadian companies sending down their \u201chemp train\u201d which is a big scale hemp processor. This will be erected in the amaPondoland region which will assist the locals in processing their crops into usable products. We need around 250 processing plants to cater to the 1 million + hectares that will need to be grown so that one can see this industry take root the way it needs to. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently SA hemp industry faces two major challenges. <strong>Certified seed supply<\/strong> readily available to farmers and then the ability to <strong>process<\/strong> these crops into secondary and tertiary products. These are the more immediate challenges not to mention the need for a consumer base that will buy off these products.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8698063 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8698063\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-510306c\" data-id=\"510306c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9720fe8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9720fe8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"704\" src=\"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Screenshot-2022-11-10-at-11.13.27-1024x961.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Screenshot-2022-11-10-at-11.13.27-1024x961.png 1024w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Screenshot-2022-11-10-at-11.13.27-300x282.png 300w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Screenshot-2022-11-10-at-11.13.27-768x721.png 768w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Screenshot-2022-11-10-at-11.13.27-600x563.png 600w, https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Screenshot-2022-11-10-at-11.13.27.png 1112w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b3c0056 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b3c0056\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-07b50f2\" data-id=\"07b50f2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d2bd68d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d2bd68d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OGCT is in the process of testing hemp strain viability in working with four strains imported from Europe. These strains are <strong>Ferimon, Futura 75, Felina 32<\/strong> and <strong>Santhica 27<\/strong>. If you have any experience in farming with these listed strains, we would love to hear from you! <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our mission is to assist farmers getting their first hemp crop underway which is met with the challenge (or opportunity) of needing off-take agreements. Presently we are garnering support from Europe in securing off-takes for hemp seed and hemp oils, we believe our African grown hemp will yield very attractive results.<br \/><br \/>Objectively speaking we probably are not ready to take on all this industry needs to thrive, however we will see independent farmers solve the issues they face regarding harvesting and processing this versatile plant.\u00a0<br \/><br \/>For hemp seeds in South Africa, reach out to us via email to info@ogct.co.za.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is SA ready for the hemp crop? While we are able to apply for and get our hemp permits, does this mean we are ready to farm? Most countries that have taken back to hemp farming have an extensive background<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[33,20,31,32],"class_list":["post-758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hemp-industry-articles","tag-cannabissouthafrica","tag-hemp","tag-hempnews","tag-hempsouthafrica"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=758"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":765,"href":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758\/revisions\/765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogct.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}