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Ireland is set for an explosion of cannabis crops after the numbers seeking a licence to grow hemp more than tripled in just six months.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) received 77 licence applications by July 2019 compared to 24 for the whole of 2018 and just seven in 2016.

There are now almost 1,000 acres registered for cultivating crops of hemp, a form of cannabis, and this is expected to rise to as much as 5,000 acres.

Industry expert Kaya O’Riordan of CB1 Botanicals told a Teagasc conference that hemp could provide a lifeline for rural Ireland and create over 80,000 jobs.

She said we have a “very suitable soil and climate” for cultivating the hardy crops and should exploit this as the industry is set to explode globally.

At the same conference James De Melloe urged farmers to take up contracts to grow the plant offered by his firm deDanu in Athlone.

He said: “Ireland is a gateway to Europe, has globally competitive tax rates, research incentives and a highly educated workforce.

“This country can compete at an international level and is uniquely positioned to capture a significant portion of the global marketplace.”

(Image: Cavan Images)

Hemp can be used to make Cannabidoil (CBD) oil to treat a range of medical conditions as well as ‘hempcrete’ for building and insulation.

The 6ft plants can also be used to make a bioplastic which decomposes in 80 days and is capable of capturing up to nine tonnes of carbon dioxide per acre.

Hemp is derived from the cannabis plant but contains much lower volumes of the psychoactive substance tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) once it is cultivated.

Growing hemp comes with strict regulations including a requirement that it cannot be grown beside roads or public rights of way where it is visible to the public.

Cultivators must also show proof of what the plant is being used for and are subject to a Garda vetting process.

Earlier this month Athlone-based DeDanu announced it was looking for farmers to grow up to 5,000 acres of hemp.

The company, which produces CBD-based products, said it was planning significant expansion over the next year.

Health Minister Simon Harris, who recently signed the law establishing Ireland’s first medicinal cannabis access scheme, is also in favour of growing our own dope.

Last month he revealed he’d had a productive meeting with Bord na Mona about the semi-State agency taking up responsibility for growing Ireland’s medicinal cannabis supply.