The Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is transferring forward with plans to manage farming for industrial and medicinal hashish, with guidelines for licensing anticipated quickly and a phased rollout deliberate, based on the federal government.
Talking in Shimla following a state-sponsored workshop and product exhibition, Income, Horticulture and Tribal Improvement Minister Jagat Singh Negi mentioned the licensing course of will prioritize industrial hemp and marijuana rising strictly for medical makes use of.
“The federal government is dedicated to making a affluent, drug-free Himachal,” Negi mentioned. “Hashish grown for medical and industrial use is just not for intoxication—it’s for therapeutic and trade.”
Not the wild selection
Negi emphasised the distinction between wild-growing hashish—generally seen within the area—and the managed, low-THC hemp that shall be permitted below the state’s authorized framework. “There’s a false notion amongst people who hashish is just a narcotic substance. Hashish cultivation carried out for industrial or medicinal functions is totally free from narcotic substances,” he mentioned.
“Drug-free hashish can turn into a sustainable financial possibility for farmers, not a supply of habit,” Negi added.
Negi made the remarks after inaugurating a public seminar and product showcase on the Gaiety Theatre, the place entrepreneurs from Himachal and different states exhibited hemp-based meals, medicines, textiles, and cosmetics. The occasion highlighted the state’s ambition to help rural entrepreneurship whereas selling environmentally sustainable crops.
Coverage basis in place
In January 2025, the state cupboard accepted a pilot research on hashish cultivation, collectively assigned to the Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture College in Palampur and Dr. YS Parmar College of Horticulture and Forestry in Nauni. The analysis will assist determine appropriate strains, finest practices, and financial pathways for the sector.
The state’s agriculture division, which is overseeing the hassle, is anticipated to ship a full report inside six months. The pilot was licensed following a 2024 decision within the Himachal Pradesh Meeting that amended the state’s narcotics guidelines to legalize hashish cultivation for industrial and medicinal makes use of.
Negi, who chaired the legislative committee behind the decision, mentioned the workforce carried out visits to all districts of the state and met with residents to elucidate the plan. “We visited a number of states like Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir to check present hemp fashions and assess the authorized and financial frameworks,” he mentioned.
Farmers, contracts, safety
Beneath the state’s proposal, farmers shall be allowed to develop hemp both independently or by way of contract farming. Manufacturing of medical hashish shall be tightly regulated, with necessities for 24-hour CCTV surveillance and geo-tagging of licensed amenities to stop diversion into unlawful channels.
Commonplace working procedures will govern cultivation, transport, and processing, and all cultivation should adhere to India’s 0.3% THC threshold for industrial hemp.
“We count on farmers to get good returns per bigha from industrial hemp,” Negi mentioned. “It would open avenues in agriculture, well being, and inexperienced industries.”
The framework contains plans to create a state company to supervise hashish cultivation, set up seed banks in partnership with universities, and entice non-public funding. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu earlier mentioned curiosity from corporations working in textiles, bio-composites, prescribed drugs, and eco-construction supplies is already rising.
Himachal’s numerous agro-climatic situations make it well-suited for high-value specialty crops. Hashish, based on the state committee, provides not solely revenue potential but in addition environmental benefits: improved soil well being, decrease reliance on artificial inputs, and decreased carbon depth.
Challenges stay
Nonetheless, challenges stay. Entry to licensed seeds is restricted, and technical know-how in processing and product growth remains to be rising in India. Neighboring Uttarakhand, which pioneered industrial hemp legalization, has struggled with regulatory bottlenecks and weak market hyperlinks.
Negi acknowledged these obstacles however mentioned Himachal plans to “be taught from these missteps” by implementing sturdy oversight and partnering carefully with agricultural and horticultural analysis establishments.
