First Industrial Hemp Harvested
Keneviro, which has invested in the processing of industrial hemp in Turkey and bringing it to the industry, is putting into operation the first integrated facility from seed to final product, which it established in Samsun Havza OIZ with 30 million dollars. Keneviro President Uğur Balkuv said, “We aim to plant 35 thousand decares of hemp and flax in 2025.”
Following Turkey’s decision to re-expand industrial hemp production in 2019, startups investing in agriculture and industry began to emerge. Keneviro, which has invested in an integrated facility in this regard, is establishing the production chain from seed to final product with the hemp processing factory that will be put into operation in January with an investment of 30 million dollars in Samsun Havza OIZ. The company, which carries out R&D in the fields of chemistry, textile and construction with universities, will produce raw and dyed fiber, dyed and raw yarn, tow, 100 percent natural cat litter and animal litter from tow in its facility established in Samsun/Türkiye.
Industrial hemp, which enables the production of over 100 different products from textiles to cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, construction, automotive industry and other sectors, is currently allowed in only 20 provinces. UOB Group, which operates in the textile sector and employs 1,800 people, also focused on hemp production with the Keneviro brand.
“We planted hemp with 301 farmers”
Keneviro announced its new term targets with a hemp harvest and information meeting in Suluova district of Amasya with the participation of farmers cultivating hemp in the region. Chairman of Keneviro Uğur Balkuv stated that the investments in consideration are part of a national project and that industrial hemp has 100% export potential with zero imports.
Stating that industrial hemp, which came to the agenda again in the world in 2016, was brought to the company’s agenda by his son Orhun Balkuv while he was studying in the USA, Balkuv noted that when it was announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that hemp production would be encouraged, the project was put on the company’s agenda again and research started.
Explained that as a result of their research, they decided that Samsun was the right city as the center for hemp agriculture and industry, Balkuv said, “We founded Keneviro at the beginning of 2022 and received 10-year production and sales rights with the tender of the local certified seed Narlı, whose breeding work was completed at 19 Mayıs University in March. In 2023, we planted 5 thousand 200 decares of hemp with 301 farmers and 1500 decares of flax with 15 farmers, again with the contracted agriculture model. We aim to cultivate 16 thousand decares of hemp and 4 thousand decares of flax in 2024. Our goal in 2025 is to plant 28 thousand decares of hemp and 7 thousand decares of flax. We aim to plant a total of 35 thousand decares of hemp and flax by the end of 2025.”
