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Embrapa and Instituto Ficus Report Projects Industrial Hemp as a New Agricultural Commodity, with Projected Billion-Dollar Revenue and Legal Challenges Still Unresolved
The cultivation of industrial hemp, one of the cannabis varieties, appears to be a bet to change the course of Brazilian agribusiness starting in 2026. A report from Embrapa, in partnership with Instituto Ficus, outlines the first steps for the country to establish a new productive chain.
According to the document, the estimate is that by 2030, net revenue could reach R$ 5.76 billion. The calculation considers everything from the sale of seeds to the utilization of the plant’s stalk.
This expectation is compared, in impact, to what soybeans meant for national agriculture five decades ago. Therefore, industrial cannabis emerges as a potential next strategic commodity.
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What the Report Predicts
The plan aims for the creation of pilot projects as early as March 2026. Starting in the second half of that year, small and medium farmers could seek specific credit to finance machinery and begin cultivation.
In 2027, the expansion phase would begin, with authorizations for larger-scale production. By 2028, it would be time to make room for exports.
The full consolidation of the chain is projected for 2030, when Brazil would be able to compete internationally.
Regulatory Impasse
Despite the optimism, regulation remains the biggest obstacle. Currently, a 1998 ordinance from Anvisa prohibits any form of cannabis cultivation in the country.
Although the Superior Court of Justice has demanded new rules, the proposed discussions focus solely on medicinal use.
This limitation threatens to delay the timelines of Embrapa’s plan and reduce its economic scope.
Experts emphasize that restricting planting to the pharmaceutical sector could jeopardize the entire planned expansion.
The risk is losing ground to competitors already operating in the market, such as China, Canada, and the United States.
Billion-Dollar Revenue
The report projections detail the potential gains. Only the seeds, rich in protein, could generate R$ 2.3 billion by 2030.
The primary destination would be human consumption and the processed food industry.
The stalk, transformed into fibers, would open new fronts in paper, textiles, and sustainable construction materials. This segment could add another R$ 3.2 billion to the revenue.
In total, the cultivated area could reach 64,000 hectares by the end of the decade, gathering producers from different regions.
The Future of the New Commodity
Embrapa researchers argue that industrial hemp should be treated as a priority. The reasoning is simple: to replicate, on a smaller scale, the role that soybeans had in the Brazilian agricultural revolution.
However, to achieve this, it will be necessary to break through regulatory barriers. Only then can industrial cannabis move from reports to effectively occupying Brazilian fields.
With information from Diário do Litoral.
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