Australia: Focus changes to hemp mill location

With the continuing expansion of commercial hemp trials in Queensland attention is now turning to the location of a hemp mill.

Eco-Fibre Industries’ managing director Phil Warner says trials in Kingaroy, Dalby, Murgon, Childers and Mackay will all be expanded during the coming months.

He says the latest trials will change the focus to refining potential yields and increasing dryland cropping production of hemp.

Mr Warner says capital investment of about $7 million should be raised to build a commercial hemp mill within 12 months.

“It’s all very well having the legislation, even having the right seed stock and also having markets which do exist,” he said.

“I mean, presently we’re importing fibre from France and Germany to make products here, but the problem is that we don’t have a separation mill, so it’s a bit like having cane or cotton without having a gin or a sugar mill.

“So until we’ve got that in place it’s a bit of a stall on actual commercial production.”