A few years ago Caribbean countries, and specifically, the Dominican Republic were evaluating the possibility of the production of hemp as a commercial crop. More recently, the country has approved and validated hemp from cannabis sativa. This plant is not what is known as marijuana, since tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive agent that produces psychotropic effects in marijuana, is reduced to 0.3% when harvesting hemp.
“Hemp is one of the fastest-growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber 50,000 years ago.”
In addition, the United States has removed the production of this product from its list of controlled substances products, facilitating its commercialization and export.
Photo Source: Dominican Today
This product has vast advantages in its commercialization. It serves different functions such as: sustainable packaging, clothing, fabric, paper, rope, food, medicine, building materials and candles to plastics and biodegradable fuels. The Dominican Republic being a strong country in the production, processing, marketing and export of product and raw materials, it has an immense opportunity to expand its repertoire of cultivation with this plant. Also, being a country that lacks fossil fuels, it benefits from the possibility of increasing the cultivation of this product, thus contributing to a greener and more sustainable world.
We will report more information about the development of this new product that steadily, and in parallel with organic bananas,is becoming the ̈green gold ̈ of the island.
Sources:
https://dominicantoday.com/dr/economy/2021/02/13/green-gold-in-the-do minican-republic/
https://acento.com.do/opinion/urge-legalizar-el-canamo-del-cannabis-sativa -no-la-marihuana-8698927.html
https://dominicantoday.com/dr/opinion/2021/02/28/the-cash-registers-are -ringing-all-around-the-caribbean/