Processing Hemp

The processing of hemp stalks needs specialised machinery

Hemp stalks need to be processed into hurds (small pieces) for construction. Specialist machines called "decorticators" process stalks into hurds is required because the stalks are so strong. Machines to do this can cost several million dollars, but smaller machines are now on the market (prices range from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars). Processed hemp hurd was imported into the country from Europe or Australia until only recently.

Hemp Farm was one of the early pioneers of hemp growing in Aotearoa New Zealand. They have grown from 53 hectares in 2014 to 1300 ha in 2019. They work with around 70 growers, mostly based in Canterbury, Waikato and Wairapapa. They now also have a hurd processing factory in Canterbury. The industry could be worth $2 billion to Aotearoa New Zealand by 2030, creating 20,000 regional jobs.

What it means for whānau

• It is not easy to process the raw plant into hurds without a decorticator, and it would be too expensive to ship a harvest to Canterbury to be processed. We want to explore purchasing a decorticator in Te Tai Tokerau for whānau to process their hemp crops into hurds and fibre. This may be as a central processing plant hub, or a mobile decorticator.

• For whānau who did not want to grow their own hemp crop for their whare, they could purchase hemp hurd from Aotearoa New Zealand suppliers like Hemp Farm.