News: Kazakhstan to Permit Industrial Hemp Cultivation.

Published 12:00 AM EST, Fri Apr 25, 2025

According to Adilov, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has already issued four licenses for the cultivation of technical cannabis. The new regulation is designed to enable the use of industrial hemp in manufacturing sectors such as paper, textiles, and construction materials.

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Kazakhstan has taken a significant step by legalizing the cultivation of industrial hemp, a move approved by the Mazhilis (the lower house of parliament). The initiative is part of a broader legislative reform aimed at reducing bureaucratic burdens on internal affairs agencies. Vice Minister of Internal Affairs Sanzhar Adilov confirmed the issuance of four licenses for cultivating technical cannabis, signaling an operational shift toward embracing hemp as a strategic industrial resource. The law strictly targets industrial applications—such as producing paper, textiles, and building materials—rather than recreational use. Officials emphasized that industrial hemp contains only 0.1% to 0.3% THC, rendering it useless for intoxication purposes, especially when compared to wild cannabis strains in regions like the Chui Valley, which exceed 15% THC. To mitigate any concerns around abuse or trafficking, all activities related to hemp cultivation will be monitored by anti-narcotics authorities.

This is not Kazakhstan's first flirtation with industrial hemp. Over a decade ago, the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs proposed using hemp to reduce the country’s dependency on imported office paper—a market costing Kazakhstan around $100 million annually. Though initially supported by political figures like Dariga Nazarbayeva, the earlier proposal lacked official momentum. Now, with direct government leadership, the project is receiving institutional support for full-scale implementation. With one farm in the Kostanay region already cultivating and processing hemp under an active license, Kazakhstan appears poised to embed industrial hemp into its economic framework. This shift not only signals diversification of the manufacturing sector but also supports sustainability goals by providing a renewable resource for essential goods. Source: The Times Of Central Asia