05/06/2024
Simone De La Feld
Brussels – The Italian hemp agro-industrial supply chain is calling Brussels into question. Giorgia Meloni’s government has included in the Security bill —now under consideration in the House—an amendment that would ban the production and trade of hemp inflorescences and derivatives, even with a THC content of less than 0.2 per cent. However, according to several industry associations, there is a risk of violating European rules on free competition and the movement of goods.
The eventual approval of the Ddl Sicurezza would affect not only small retailers of CBD (L sativa hemp with low THC content that does not produce psychotropic effects) but also agro-industrial supply chains of excellence such as cosmetics, floriculture, food supplements, and herbalism. A 500 million annual turnover sector, employing more than 15,000 people throughout Italy, that has grown in recent years despite frequent political attacks. Described by Federcanapa as “a grotesque crackdown,” for CIA-Agricoltori Italiani the move by the Meloni government is “unacceptable” and risks leading to the closure of “thousands of farms in an ever-expanding sector, with significant growth rates and a strong protagonism, especially among young entrepreneurs.” Farmers who have invested in a legal and high value-added culture over the years.” stresses Cia President Cristiano Fini.
