The result should be higher returns for growers.
Under a partnership established late last year, HempNZ, NZ Yarn and Carrfields are making pioneering changes to hemp harvesting technology that will allow the stalks and seed to be separated at harvest.
The ground-breaking innovations, the first to be developed and used in NZ, involve engineering adaptations to combine harvester front attachments.
The adaptations allow the seed and grain to be removed at harvest with the stalks left on the ground separately for baling.
The result is two harvests in one or dual cropping, Carrfields Group managing director and chairman of NZ Yarn’s parent group Carrfields Primary Wool, Craig Carr said.
“Dual cropping is a huge breakthrough for NZ’s fledgling commercial hemp industry.
“Until now the only part of the hemp crop that has been harvested is the seed, however, there are multiple parts of the hemp plant that can be used with the stalk being of particular interest as a source of fibre,” Carr said.
Dual cropping allows farmers to maximise the return from their crops by making more of the plant available for use and minimising crop wastage.
“We’re still fine-tuning our dual cropping equipment and processes but we’ve seen very pleasing results from our trials this year.
“It’s very exciting to think that next summer and autumn we’ll be geared up for commercial hemp harvesting and production to begin on a significant scale,” Carr said.
Following HempNZ’s acquisition of a 15% interest in NZ Yarn in late 2018, Hemp NZ is installing a state-of-the-art hemp fibre processing facility at the NZ Yarn factory in Christchurch.
It will transform the NZ Yarn building from a wool carpet yarn spinning plant into a fully-fledged, modern fibre factory with equipment purpose-built and engineered for hemp rather than using modified flax mills as seen in other countries.
The HempNZ, Carrfields and NZ Yarn partnership is placing NZ at the forefront of hemp innovation globally, Carr said.
“There is some commercial hemp production being developed in Europe but we’ve now caught up to where they are in terms of technology, infrastructure and innovation.”
HempNZ chief executive Dave Jordan said the new facility, the first of its kind in NZ, will produce a very high-quality fibre using efficient processing techniques that will open the door to the development of market-leading innovations in hemp fibre processing.
“There are many potential consumer and industrial uses for hemp fibre.
“We’re extremely excited about working with NZ Yarn to explore and develop some of these possibilities,” Jordan said.
Once the machinery for the new processing line is fully commissioned and ready to operate later this year NZ Yarn and Hemp NZ will begin what is thought to be the first commercial processing of hemp stalks into fibre in Australasia.
Processing is expected to begin towards the end of this year at the new facility, using hemp stalks from the 2019 harvest.
By the 2020 harvest between 1500 and 2000 hectares of hemp crop is expected to be harvested and processed through the facility.
Jordan said hemp fibre has very exciting potential as an environmentally-friendly option across a huge range of industries globally.
“Hemp is a highly versatile natural product that we believe can form part of the solution to the looming global environmental catastrophe.”
Hemp fibre has a long history of human use dating back thousands of years and is now undergoing a strong resurgence as part of the increasing global awareness of the environmental damage caused by synthetic fibres.
“The resurgence in popularity of hemp is based on its excellent environmental characteristics.
“It is pest-resistant, easy to grow organically and produces a very good yield of fibre per hectare compared with many other crops.”
The commercially-grown hemp plant is distinct from its illegal cousin as it does not contain THC.
“Hemp has been stigmatised and under-appreciated for decades but we’re working to change people’s perceptions of this highly valuable commercial crop that can provide a very good return for both farmers and processors,” Jordan said.
