Regulatory authority to oversee local hemp cultivation underway – Agri minister

One year after disclosing plans to establish an Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority in Guyana, the government is gearing up to submit the name of personnel for the agency to the Cabinet.
This confirmation was provided by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during an invited comment with Guyana Times.
“We are in the process of setting up the regulatory authority. The names, I already have the names identified at the board. Now I will take the name shortly to cabinet for approval and as long as it’s approved, the board will come into being and they will meet and appoint a CEO and then the whole operation for hemp will come, get underway,” he stated.
For those considering applying for a license, he advised that the regulatory board will be responsible for issuing them.
“There are the people who want licences and so we’ll make application to the board and the board will look at that. So I’m hoping very shortly that the whole process will be completed and we’ll have the hemp operation in progress.”
He added that two regions are being targeted for this cultivation.
“Two regions have already been identified, Region Six and Region 10. So, for, the two regions, we have various areas. Some of the areas might be in the upper quarantine, some areas in different parts of region 10. So, those areas will come under the responsibility of the hemp authority to identify those areas. But as it stands now, the two regions have already been identified for hemp cultivation.” He assured.
The Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority will oversee Guyana’s hemp industry, in keeping with the Industrial Hemp Bill 2022.
While hemp does contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), advocates have argued that this is in very low amounts, below 0.3 per cent, which is too low to be psychoactive. In Guyana, the THC level needs to be below 0.3 per cent for it to be considered legal.
A person shall now cultivate or manufacture hemp or hemp-related products; or conduct research or any other activity related to industrial hemp without a licence issued by the authority under the Act. In the case of a violation, a person is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $500,000 or imprisonment for one year.
The framework states, “The Board shall consider the impact on public health, safety, security, commerce, and agriculture, and need for the orderly development of the sector, including exclusivity, when considering an application for the issuance of a licence under this Act.”
After the licence is granted, a person is not allowed to plant any seed or plant, or harvest any cannabis plant before a sample of the seed or plant is analysed by an analyst to ascertain whether it confirms to the allowed THC concentration.
Hemp is a multibillion-dollar industry that can lend to the production of hundreds of items.
Some uses for hemp include rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, and belts.
Hemp is often confused with marijuana, but it is crucial to understand the distinction between the two.
Both hemp and marijuana are varieties of the cannabis plant, which includes over 100 to 156 different strains. The two most recognised strains are hemp and marijuana.
Hemp presents significant economic opportunities for Guyana, with potential benefits spanning various sectors. With around 100,000 to 150,000 potential use cases and products, hemp can be a versatile addition to Guyana’s economy. (G2)