Ukraine is entering the European hemp market with the launch of its largest industrial processing plant, aimed at revitalizing a once-thriving sector and signaling resilience through innovation.
Ukraine's Ministry of Economy announced last week that the Ma'Ryzhany Hemp Company has begun operating what is now the country's largest hemp processing facility. The plant is located in the Ma'Ryzhany industrial park in the Zhytomyr region of the war-torn country.
The company has turned a former flax mill into a modern production site, now capable of handling up to 14,000 tons annually. The facility is set to supply hemp fiber to both the European textile sector and local markets. More than $20 million has been invested in this initial stage of development.
Industrial hemp has deep roots in Ukraine's agricultural history, once widely grown for its strong fiber used in textiles, ropes, and sails. During the Soviet period, the country stood among the leading hemp producers. But after the collapse of the USSR, production sharply declined, driven by unclear regulations and the plant's association with psychoactive cannabis.
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