Cultivation will begin later this year in southeastern Berbice Region

All is now set for industrial hemp to be grown in Guyana, as the local parliament this week finally approved legislation allowing local farmers to grow the cannabis derivative plant, which can be used in a variety of commercial activities

This comes after lobbying the two previous administrations to permit it. The previous David Granger administration had dithered on granting approvals fearing that the plant, an extremely close relation to marijuana, could be abused by farmers and others for illicit purposes.

Hemp can be used to manufacture a range of products from paper to textiles to marine rope, plastics, paints, animal feed and others. Strong lobbying of the current administration has resulted in parliamentary approval with the first set of licences being prepared for issuance, officials have said.

Cultivation will begin later this year in southeastern Berbice Region near Suriname, as well as in Linden Town, 65 miles south of the city, which once thrived when bauxite production was economic king.

Helping with economic diversification

Authorities say licensed farmers in these two districts are being given the first shot at growing hemp because both have experienced declining economic fortunes in recent decades.

Berbice is famous for growing rice, sugar and vegetables but the closure of some of the county’s estates and the under-performance of others meant that it was an obvious choice along with Linden where bauxite is no longer the sector around which life revolves.

Officials argue that hemp farming could help with economic diversification.

Agriculture Minister Zulficar Mustapha argued in parliament that hemp cultivation could encourage illegal marijuana growers to switch legally to hemp and make money while deviating from criminal activity in the country.

“While we are setting up this legislation, at the same time we are encouraging people to deviate from crime. Hemp production in Guyana is a win-win situation for all the players involved. For the grower, it will be a source of income generation and job creation. For the consumers, it would have significant benefits, and for the broader economy, it would be a valuable source of foreign exchange, especially in the context of economic diversification,” Mustapha said.

Persons cultivating hemp without permits will be fined $2,500 or jailed for a year. The Guyanese government is also establishing a board to consider the impact on public health, safety, security, commerce and agriculture and need for the orderly development of the sector including exclusivity when considering an application for the issuance of a license under this act.

After the licence is granted, “a person is not allowed to plant any seed or plant, or harvest any cannabis plant before a sample of the seed or plant is analysed by an analyst to ascertain whether it confirms with the allowed THC concentration,” the act states.