Hemp: A Ray of Hope for the Textile Industry Amid Cotton Crisis from Climate Change

Dr. Asad Farooq, Chairman of the Department of Fibre and Textile Technology at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, initiated research on various wild hemp varieties found in Pakistan four years ago, aiming to explore the large-scale cultivation of industrial hemp. He is recognized as an authority in Pakistan on the cultivation, processing, and industrial use of industrial hemp. In an interview with climatecall.pk, he shared the results of his research, highlighting that cultivating industrial hemp as a cash crop in Pakistan could help mitigate the raw material crisis in the textile industry and reduce the effects of climate change. During the interview, Dr. Asad also identified the challenges involved in growing industrial hemp. According to him, hemp is naturally antibacterial, and when blended with cotton, it can produce products with antibacterial properties. He further explained that hemp is a value-added product, meaning that compared to regular cotton jeans, garments made from hemp fibers could be priced five to six times higher.