Paraguay to begin hemp marketing soon

Paraguay’s Ministry of Agriculture says marketing hemp products in the country could start as soon as December, with the help of a government program.

The announcement came recently after Moises Bertoni Hicar, a deputy in the ministry, met with the Association of Roseño Producers, a group that represents 164 growers, Hemp Today reported Monday.

Last year, the Ministry or Agriculture approved a request from a farming and agriculture consulting firm, Healthy Grains SA, to import seed varieties from Hungary, France, China and the United States.

With the assistance of the Paraguayan Institute of Agrarian Technology, Healthy Grains is conducting trials to determine which seeds are more adaptable to the country’s soil and climate.

“We hope hemp will be one more source of income for the small producer,” Hicar said. “We currently have a seed plot of more than 200 hectares (494 acres), and there is a lot of interest from producers in the country.”

Fiber for textiles, oil from seeds, and flower from the plant are all types of products the Paraguayan government forsees.