From seed
to industry.
A Welsh hemp supply chain moves through five stages. At each stage, value is either extracted and exported — or retained inside Wales. The entire Hemp Cymru structure is built around that second option.
01
Hau
Seed & Licensing
Industrial hemp in the UK requires a Home Office licence to grow. Approved varieties must contain less than 0.2% THC. Hemp Cymru works with growers to navigate the licensing process — applications typically take eight to twelve weeks and are renewable annually.
Seed selection determines output quality. Fibre varieties, dual-purpose varieties, and seed varieties each produce different ratios of usable material. The Co-operative will standardise on varieties proven in comparable Atlantic climates — selected for yield, processing compatibility, and agronomic resilience in Welsh conditions.
02
Tyfu
Growing
Hemp is a rotational break crop. It requires no herbicide — its canopy suppresses weeds within three to four weeks of emergence. It requires minimal pesticide. It draws down carbon at a rate of approximately 1.63 tonnes per hectare during its growth cycle, and its root system improves soil structure for subsequent crops.
A typical Welsh growing season runs from May to September. The crop reaches three to four metres in height. Harvest requires either a standard combine for seed-only operations or a specialised cutting and windrowing process for dual-purpose fibre and seed harvest.
03
Cynaeafu
Harvest & Retting
After cutting, hemp stalks are laid in the field to ret — a process in which moisture and microbial activity loosen the bond between the outer bast fibre and the woody inner hurd. Field retting takes three to six weeks depending on conditions. Water retting produces higher-quality fibre but requires infrastructure.
The quality of retting determines the quality of the fibre output stream. Hemp Cymru's processing specification is built around field-retted material, with water retting capacity planned as a Phase 2 infrastructure addition at the Trecwn site.
04
Prosesu
Processing & Decortication
Decortication is the mechanical separation of bast fibre from hurd. The process produces four distinct output streams: long bast fibre, short fibre and tow, hurd (the woody core), and biomass dust and fines.
The target processing site is the former naval depot at Trecwn, Pembrokeshire — an Enterprise Zone with existing large-footprint infrastructure, road and rail access, and eligibility for Welsh Government capital grant funding of up to 40% of qualifying costs. Hemp Processing & Trading Ltd is the vehicle through which this infrastructure will be developed.
05
Marchnad
Output & Market
Each output stream enters a different industry. Long bast fibre into textiles, technical composites, and geotextiles. Short fibre and tow into paper, insulation, and industrial applications. Hurd into hempcrete blocks, animal bedding, and horticultural products. Biomass into energy and biorefinery inputs.
The combined value of processed outputs from a single acre of Welsh hemp is in excess of £1,600 — compared to a farm gate price for unprocessed straw of under £200 per acre. The processing margin is the economic case. Retaining it in Wales, through a farmer-owned Co-operative, is the structural goal.
£1,600+
Value per acre through processed outputs
4
Distinct output streams from a single crop
40%
Capital costs eligible for Welsh Government grant funding
Figures: £1,600+ per acre — Hemp Cymru internal analysis. 40% grant eligibility — Welsh Government Enterprise Zone capital funding, subject to application.
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