CC Summer 1995: China's participation in Bioresource Hemp 1995
| BIORESOURCE |
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| HEMP |
| 1995 |
In the Shandong Province
Robert Clarke of the International Hemp Association reviewed the
history of hemp cultivation in the Tai'an District of Shandong Province in
the People's Republic of China. He explained that hemp cultivation in the
region dates back over 5000 years, and showed the cultivation and
processing techniques currently used.
Traditionally, peasants have produced twine, sacking and clothes from hemp,
and until recently hemp was processed almost entirely by traditional
methods. In 1987 however, a modern degumming, spinning and weaving mill was
constructed. In 1993 a Chinese-American joint venture invested in the mill
and initiated changes to cultivation, market structure, and processing of
hemp.
Hemp in China
Hui-Min Wang of the Chinese North-West Institute of Textile Science and
Technology was not able to attend the Symposium due to visa
problems. However, his paper explains that textiles made from hemp have
been in decline in China for decades, due to competition from more easily
processed fibres like wool, cotton, and synthetics. Despite this, China is
still the world's largest producer of hemp bast fibres.
The main uses of hemp in China are currently in the production of ropes,
pulp, and hand knitting products, and the use of seeds for oil and of
leaves and flowers in traditional Chinese medicines. The recent resurgence
in hemp has been caused by a growing demand for natural fibres, a drop in
world market prices for flax, and the emergence of advanced technical
applications for hemp cultivation.
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