According to experts, the existing factories for the production of fabrics from flax and hemp are not enough, and the old enterprises need modernization. Government support will help reduce dependence on imports. Now more than two thirds of flax for fabric production comes from abroad.

Factories producing fabrics from flax and hemp will receive support from the state. It will reimburse up to 50% of all costs for the reconstruction and creation of such enterprises. This follows from the draft Government Resolution prepared by Ministry of Agriculture. The ministry confirmed the development of the project, adding that such a measure will be taken for the first time.

The draft Resolution is currently being approved. It is expected to be adopted in 2018. The necessary amounts of funds that will be allocated for these purposes from the state budget have not yet been determined, reportedMinistry of Agriculture.

The document of the department says that state support will be extended to enterprises that have begun to build or modernize in the last three years. The envisaged measure will be one of the steps to replace imports. It will contribute to improving the competitiveness of Russian agricultural products in the domestic and foreign markets.

Director of the Association of hemp growers Julia Divnich said that now it is allowed to cultivate 26 varieties of this plant. She said that everything is not so bad with the cultivation of cannabis now, but there is a catastrophic shortage of processing capacities. 

In Russia, hemp is cultivated in five regions - the Orel, Penza and Novosibirsk regions, the Republic of Mordovia and the Altai Territory. Hemp is obtained from hemp - strong fibers used in the production of burlap and canvas. In addition, it can be mixed with cotton and linen in the manufacture of fabrics for everyday clothing.

According to the Agency for the Production and Primary Processing of Flax and Hemp, there are now only six hemp processing factories in Russia. There are significantly more enterprises working with flax - there are about 70 of them. At the same time, more than two-thirds of all linen for fabrics in Russia is imported.

The shortage of domestic raw materials pushed Ministry of Agriculture to create additional incentives for the growth of the industry. It was included in the state program for the development of agriculture until 2020. The measure to reimburse half of the costs of building new factories will contribute not only to import substitution, but also to an increase in the production of light industry goods in general.

Source: Soyuzlegprom

Photo: shutterstock.com