The Australian industrial hemp (IH) industry is rapidly growing, and it is expected to be a $10M industry by 2026. Currently about 2,500 ha of IH is planted by more than 500 licence holders across Australia. The Australian Industrial Hemp Program of Research (AIHPR) will be implemented by a number of interstate research partners, guided by the Australian Industrial Hemp Strategic RD&E Plan 2022-2027. Northern Territory Government (NTG), building on the current 3 years National Industrial Hemp Variety Trials (IHVT) project - concluding in 2025 - is leading Theme 2 that is focusing on hemp seeds and varieties.
A desktop review will be done to determine the range and scope of possible production environments for each of the hemp higher-value end products. This will be followed a survey in all hemp growing and potential regions in Australia, to capture current and historical data on production and identify the key traits growers want in future varieties. The IHVT project will be formally reviewed while drawing data from each of the trial sites and the survey, to establish a clear understanding of the variety information needs of the growers. Following the recommendations from the formal review, 3 agro-ecological regions representing the tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions in north, central and southern Australia will be selected to evaluate the production potential of Industrial Hemp Varieties. All the information from the reviews, survey and trials will be effectively processed for communication of variety trial results in a timely and professional manner for growers in an online database.
The outcome of Theme 1 and other Themes will arm growers with the information they need to understand the characteristics of different varieties, match varieties to end use and maximise production through improved agronomic practices including addressing pests and disease. The commercial uptake of this research output and translating them into market opportunities will be assured by the direct involvement of seed suppliers.