❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding the status of a proposed industrial hemp industry in Western Australia, including trials and economic viability.
AnsweredQoN 231Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
INDUSTRIAL HEMP INDUSTRY
(1) What is the current status of a proposed industrial hemp industry in WA? (2) Are any further trials being conducted in 2008 by the company that wishes to establish such an industry? (3) If trials are being conducted, are they over a wide range of climatic and soil conditions in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE
(1) What is the current status of a proposed industrial hemp industry in WA? (2) Are any further trials being conducted in 2008 by the company that wishes to establish such an industry? (3) If trials are being conducted, are they over a wide range of climatic and soil conditions in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for providing some notice of an interesting question. (1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
(2) Are any further trials being conducted in 2008 by the company that wishes to establish such an industry? (3) If trials are being conducted, are they over a wide range of climatic and soil conditions in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for providing some notice of an interesting question. (1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
(3) If trials are being conducted, are they over a wide range of climatic and soil conditions in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for providing some notice of an interesting question. (1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for providing some notice of an interesting question. (1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for providing some notice of an interesting question. (1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
(1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
(2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
(2) Are any further trials being conducted in 2008 by the company that wishes to establish such an industry? (3) If trials are being conducted, are they over a wide range of climatic and soil conditions in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for providing some notice of an interesting question. (1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
(3) If trials are being conducted, are they over a wide range of climatic and soil conditions in Western Australia? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for providing some notice of an interesting question. (1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for providing some notice of an interesting question. (1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for providing some notice of an interesting question. (1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
(1) There is currently no established hemp industry in Western Australia—at least not industrial hemp. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been approached by several private companies in recent years and has provided verbal advice and conducted some trials on low tetrahydrocannabinol. Hemp has shown limited response in low to medium rainfall areas. DAFWA testing has also included trials in the high rainfall south west region as an over-summer crop. More recently, varieties have been tested in the Shire of Dandaragan as an autumn-winter sown crop. In both cases an economic analysis suggested that the yields and quality under these conditions were unlikely to be viable at current prices for hemp fibre or oil. (2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
(2)-(3) The Department of Agriculture and Food is assisting one company to evaluate some new genetic material from France and Canada to determine whether they are better adapted to Western Australian conditions. This small-scale, time-of-sowing trial will be conducted at South Perth in 2008. Another company currently has a trial underway at Kununurra. The same company also had trials in 2007-08 at Kojonup and Katanning.
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