@shikharmishra thanks bud. Will let the team know 
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Hi @NithinKamath,
We at Unkarbon are happy to be a part of this conversation. I’m excited to see interest in hemp throughout the entire ecosystem- governments, academia, investors, the private sector, and consumers in India. Our focus is to leverage hemp and other natural fibres to create lighter, stronger and carbon-neutral alternatives to currently used plastic and composite materials. Many here have already mentioned the environmental and economic benefits of cultivating industrial hemp. India’s favourable geography and climate perfectly sets the stage for experiencing APAC’s highest growth for its domestic market. Several companies are legally growing industrial hemp, with no restrictions on trade, import, processing, or the use of hemp fibre.
What hasn’t been discussed here is the issue of ghost villages in the most cannabis and hemp-friendly state in India- Uttarakhand. Over 1500 villages have been abandoned by residents in search of better employment. Flooding, droughts, and changes in crop cycles and temperatures have resulted in lower agricultural yields and lower-quality crops and soil. Adding in the cost of fertilisers, climate change is affecting agricultural income, forcing farmers to move to urban regions. The Uttarakhand Government sees hemp as a way to mitigate this crisis and bring villagers back to their lands, a push seen as a reverse migration initiative.
Slowly, with the private sector and government support evidenced by new policies, the villagers will come back. Hemp requires less water, and minimal fertiliser, is less affected by uneven rainfall like other crops, and is less affected by changes in overall temperature. Even more- if the timing of planting and the quality of seeds are right, a farmer can see up to 3 harvest cycles in a year.
We are thrilled to see other states following suit like Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It is only a matter of time before states throughout the country follow suit. Cannabis/Hemp is already growing wild in approximately 60% of districts in India- that’s (about 460 of 766). We expect to see states like Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Orissa, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and others consider drafting policies favourable to farmers and the overall national economy to legalise industrial hemp cultivation.
This is the most exciting time to be in the industry, in its nascent stages of development, working with industry bodies, government, and academia, and with the guidance of international expertise to help India recapture its rightful position as amongst the world’s greatest hemp and cannabis markets, with knowledge, culture and history that dates back to 2000 BCE.
Thanks,
Aniruddha
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Its in very advanced stages now!
Hi Shikhar. Thanks for sharing this. We are currently not evaluating any more start-ups in the hemp space until we receive further clarification on the regulations. We’ll stay in touch and connect once we have more clarity.
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A strict regulation on procurement can solve this, right? The regulation on procurement from only a list of government-certified vendors.
Great to see knowledge about Hemp being shared. Just like you and everyone else here, I too was fascinated with Hemp and while diving deeper into it, the textile application is what caught my attention the most.
Research by various organisations across the world having clearly established Hemp as a sustainable option to other popular fabrics, I researched for quite a while and spoke to many garment manufacturers around the world about Hemp clothing. After extensive testing, I’ve laid the groundwork, shortlisted suppliers, completed sampling and started a Hemp Clothing brand named Hemp Closet. Currently at a very early stage, we are in the process of launching Hemp T-shirts, Polos, Shirts, Sweatshirts and Women’s Dresses.
Although sustainable fashion has slightly caught on, but majority of India especially the younger generation does not find it “cool” enough to get excited about. We at Hemp Closet aim to tap into sustainable fashion with a fresh approach of Hemp clothing being a set apart from usual. Our Hemp clothing being superior & sustainable than usual cotton clothing and our designs being modern and at par with the trends.
We’d love to tell you more about our brand, supply chain and show you our products.
Regards,
Parv Trikha
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