In Peru, hemp is shifting from confusion and taboo to a driver of economic and environmental development. What was once just an idea now has a legal framework, with regulations on the horizon. The plant offers the possibility of transforming agriculture, diversifying the economy, and even providing solutions to the climate crisis. How? Through legal cultivation.
Peru Seeks Citizen Participation
In June 2024, Congress approved Law No. 32195, which laid the groundwork for the industrialization of hemp. This historic legislation explicitly differentiates hemp from marijuana and removes the legal obstacles that had frozen its progress.
This week, the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI) published the draft Supreme Decree regulating this law and opened a 90-day public consultation period.
During this time, anyone—from private institutions to farmers and ordinary citizens—can submit comments and suggestions, either online or in person, in Lima. The General Directorate of Agricultural Development and Agroecology will be responsible for receiving and consolidating all these observations.
The draft invites input from individuals and organizations, national or foreign, across the entire hemp production and supply chain, Infobae reports.
An ancient plant in perfect soil
Hemp, a close cousin of marijuana, also belongs to the Cannabis sativa species. The difference lies in its low percentage of THC, the psychotropic compound which, according to international regulations, cannot exceed 3% (although some countries insist on lower percentages, such as 1%). Thus, this variety isn’t meant to alter consciousness, but rather as a source for producing textiles, paper, oils, food, construction materials, biofuels, and many more. An ancient option that has accompanied various civilizations in their development.
Peru’s case is both unique and promising. A recent analysis by ESAN highlighted that the country has enviable climatic and geographical diversity: coast, mountains, and jungle. This mix of soils and climates makes it …
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Author: Camila Berriex / High Times
