Growing HEMP in Ireland

SHS

Well-Known Member
Hi All,

Just want to see what are peoples thoughts on growing hemp in Ireland.

Anyone have any experience or knowledge of growing this crop or if it has potential for land owners?
 
A great article which once again shows the lack of “joined up thinking” in this country. I for one would love to try it. Is hemp related to flax and didn’t the late Paddy Hegarty TD trial flax in East Cork back in the 80’s ? I seem to remember it was of great quality but there was no market for it so it was finally burnt.
 
A great article which once again shows the lack of “joined up thinking” in this country. I for one would love to try it. Is hemp related to flax and didn’t the late Paddy Hegarty TD trial flax in East Cork back in the 80’s ? I seem to remember it was of great quality but there was no market for it so it was finally burnt.
Don't think they're related, they just have the same bast fibre. Nettles are another. You would think there would be more demand for these natural products given the problems with pollution from synthetic fibres.
 
Love to see it grown at scale for commercial fibre production. Oakpark grew it years ago as part of some project or other so there might be some old research papers lukling around their site. The medicinal oil market I imagine to be small scale and easily oversupplied. It would be lovely to see ireland growing flax again too and replacing some of this synthetic schtuff
 
Love to see it grown at scale for commercial fibre production. Oakpark grew it years ago as part of some project or other so there might be some old research papers lukling around their site. The medicinal oil market I imagine to be small scale and easily oversupplied. It would be lovely to see ireland growing flax again too and replacing some of this synthetic schtuff
I grow hemp for a local Coop. This year we’ve 63ha in the ground. It’s absolute simplicity to grow. Plant and close the gate. No fertilizer whatsoever or herbicides etc.

Poorest crop to return a margin so we use it in shallow/dry soils, awkward fields, out of the way sh1tholes etc etc. The Coop pays for the harvesting. We’ve to bale and store the crop. The Coop would take about an artic per week. The longer you store it the more you’re paid.

If it wasn’t a damn good breakcrop we wouldn’t bother with it tbh.
I saw someone on Agriland (I think) claiming a gross of €3-4k per acre...we’d be lucky to gross €800/ha.
 
A great article which once again shows the lack of “joined up thinking” in this country. I for one would love to try it. Is hemp related to flax and didn’t the late Paddy Hegarty TD trial flax in East Cork back in the 80’s ? I seem to remember it was of great quality but there was no market for it so it was finally burnt.
No relationship whatsoever other than both being plants. Flax is linseed.
 
Don't think they're related, they just have the same bast fibre. Nettles are another. You would think there would be more demand for these natural products given the problems with pollution from synthetic fibres.


Have you seen the price wool makes these days.
 
A great article which once again shows the lack of “joined up thinking” in this country. I for one would love to try it. Is hemp related to flax and didn’t the late Paddy Hegarty TD trial flax in East Cork back in the 80’s ? I seem to remember it was of great quality but there was no market for it so it was finally burnt.
same thing happened down the road from me , around 80 acres of it harvested and a very good crop ended up being burnt 5 yrs later and millions of rats made homeless
 
Heard an interview on the radio, child with seizures, eventually prescribed THC, a cannabis related drug, with tremendous success.

The treatment costs the HSE €12k a year, for glorified plant extract. Someone is making money.
 
I grow hemp for a local Coop. This year we’ve 63ha in the ground. It’s absolute simplicity to grow. Plant and close the gate. No fertilizer whatsoever or herbicides etc.

Poorest crop to return a margin so we use it in shallow/dry soils, awkward fields, out of the way sh1tholes etc etc. The Coop pays for the harvesting. We’ve to bale and store the crop. The Coop would take about an artic per week. The longer you store it the more you’re paid.

If it wasn’t a damn good breakcrop we wouldn’t bother with it tbh.
I saw someone on Agriland (I think) claiming a gross of €3-4k per acre...we’d be lucky to gross €800/ha.

Hemp is a serious soil conditioner, would you see a place for it in cover crops?
 
Hemp is a serious soil conditioner, would you see a place for it in cover crops?
No Ozzy, it’s too fibrous and woody. Anyhow I think that the first bit of frost would kill it.

Brilliant to condition the soil in fairness.
 
Last edited:
I grow hemp for a local Coop. This year we’ve 63ha in the ground. It’s absolute simplicity to grow. Plant and close the gate. No fertilizer whatsoever or herbicides etc.

Poorest crop to return a margin so we use it in shallow/dry soils, awkward fields, out of the way sh1tholes etc etc. The Coop pays for the harvesting. We’ve to bale and store the crop. The Coop would take about an artic per week. The longer you store it the more you’re paid.

If it wasn’t a damn good breakcrop we wouldn’t bother with it tbh.
I saw someone on Agriland (I think) claiming a gross of €3-4k per acre...we’d be lucky to gross €800/ha.
Are you still growing hemp?
 
Back
Top