Under the regulation published in the Official Gazette in 2016, hemp cultivation is permitted in 19 provinces. This is not actually a new law. Growing hemp has been permitted in Türkiye for approximately 30 years, but updates in 2016 excited people interested in the sector and increased attention. Expectations arose that medical cannabis and CBD oil would be allowed, yet four years later no such step has been taken.
Until relatively recently, many products such as paper and fabric were made from hemp in our country. Industrial development, the spread of Chinese goods worldwide and other factors reduced interest. Today the world has discovered cannabis's health benefits, bringing the plant back into focus.
Insufficient support
Recent government attention increased interest, but inadequate support still makes people hesitant to invest. Prospective investors face several obstacles, especially the inability to use the whole plant and the domestic seed requirement.
Using the whole plant
Under current law, growers can use only the fiber, stalk and seed. Leaves and flowers must be destroyed under supervision, wasting many resources. Fibers can serve textiles, leaves the food industry, and flower-derived oil healthcare. Only this kind of production can make the sector profitable.
Because current law prevents whole-plant utilization, investors naturally approach the industry skeptically.
Domestic seed
The law requires production using only domestic seed. At first you may ask what is wrong with that. We also support achieving global success with locally produced seed, but our country's seed has never undergone research and development, and its characteristics are uncertain.
“Ancestral seed” may sound appealing, but it is not particularly useful in today's world. Since cannabis spread worldwide from Central Asia, all seeds could be called ancestral. European countries and America improved seeds taken from these lands over many years to maximize productivity. To close the gap, Türkiye should use those seeds and make them more productive for its own land. Allowing foreign hemp seed, as with other agricultural crops, would therefore be more appropriate. Even seeds for staples such as corn, tomatoes and peppers are imported, so why not hemp?
Is CBD oil production permitted?
The short answer is that unfortunately, CBD oil production is not permitted in Türkiye. Despite strong demand, the government has not yet made an announcement. We do know that applications are rejected and legal CBD oil sales are not allowed.
