Polish hemp area nearly doubles in 2026 as growers return to grain and fiber production

Poland's industrial hemp sector expanded sharply in 2026, with planted area nearly doubling to about 2,171 hectares by the end of July. The rise follows regulatory changes introduced in 2022 that replaced an annual permit system with a national registry run by the National Center for Agricultural Support (KOWR), and it reflects what growers and industry actors describe as "real demand" for grain and fiber hemp rather than speculative interest.

Grain and fiber varieties dominate the recently expanded area. The Polish grain variety Henola, developed at the Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants (IWNiRZ), accounts for roughly 833 hectares — more than one-third of the total. FINOLA, a Finnish grain variety, has also rebounded among Polish growers. Fiber varieties such as Poland's Białobrzeskie and France's Futura 75 remain among the most widely planted cultivars.

Industry participants point to genuine commercial demand this time, not the speculative spike that drove fields to more than 3,000 hectares in 2020 during the global CBD boom. Maciej Kowalski of Kombinat Konopny described the current growth as being backed by real demand rather than speculation. Witold Czeszak, head of the Polish Hemp Program at IWNiRZ, says the sector is returning to its industrial roots as grain and fiber varieties take precedence.

Demand is concentrated in the animal feed subsector. Several farmers report hemp grain bringing in higher returns than some traditional cereals, which has encouraged plantings. Stakeholders are aiming to build value chains beyond feed, including protein powders and other high-nutrition products for human consumption, but the feed market is currently the main revenue driver.

The largest hemp farming areas in 2026 are in eastern Poland's Lubelskie region near the Ukrainian border, and the north-central regions Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie. These regions account for the bulk of recent expansion, reflecting both suitable growing conditions and farmer interest.

Poland's 2022 reforms removed annual cultivation permits and regional restrictions. Instead, growers register through KOWR and the national THC limit is set at 0.3%. The registry model has allowed more growers to enter cultivation and provided centralized tracking of planted area and participants.

Poland's hemp acreage first peaked around 2020, when more than 3,000 hectares were recorded as CBD demand surged and speculators entered the market. The subsequent CBD market collapse and a controversy over the FINOLA variety (which affected subsidy eligibility) led to a sharp pullback. The current increase differs in composition and intent: it appears led by feed and industrial uses rather than CBD extraction.

The sector's near-term expansion depends on consolidating commercial buyers, processing capacity and development of higher-value products such as protein powders. The drop in registered buyers even as grower numbers rise suggests processing and off-take capacity may not be expanding at the same pace as planted area. For now, growth is being driven by practical demand in feed and grain markets rather than speculative planting.