The domestic market for hemp-based products, including textiles, is projected to reach Rs 30 billion by 2027.
Hemp fibre has the potential to revolutionise both the agricultural landscape and the textile industries, according to Dr Romesh Khajuria, Chairman of the WWEPC under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. He made this statement during his opening address at the 188th Committee of Administration (CoA) meeting. Dr Khajuria, who led a delegation to meet Union Minister for Textiles Giriraj Singh, highlighted the progress made in the hemp fibre sector. The delegation, which included Roop Rashi, Textiles Commissioner of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, along with representatives from Awega Green Technology, Coursed India Foundation, India Hemp Networking, the Hemp Fibre Industry, organisations working on hemp fibre cultivation, and other stakeholders, engaged in pivotal discussions about the recognition of hemp fibre.
Dr Khajuria, also the Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Wool Development and Marketing Association (JKWDMA), emphasised that hemp fibre possesses unique properties. He explained that when blended with wool, hemp produces a high-quality sustainable natural fibre. He further noted that the world is rapidly shifting towards sustainable fibres to combat global warming, which poses a significant threat to the planet.
He called for the recognition of hemp fibres as “Allied Fibres” at the earliest, stressing the need for strategic planning, policy frameworks, and research and development initiatives. Additionally, he advocated for potential collaborations to scale the use of hemp fibre across various industries.
Dr Khajuria further stated that the domestic market for hemp-based products, including textiles, is projected to reach Rs 30 billion by 2027.
A key moment in the meeting was the proposal presented by Karan R Sarsar, Founder & CEO of Awega Green Technologies. He outlined a detailed plan to incorporate hemp fibres into India’s textile industry.
CoA members present at the meeting included R C Khanna, Vice Chairman, D K Jain, Harmit Singh Bhalla, Kawaljeet Singh, Bilal Bhatt, Rajesh Khanna, Harish Dua, Executive Director, Suresh Thakur, and others.