The Irish multiplier event centered its contents on the importance of hemp, as its industry in Ireland is one of the oldest in Europe with a fully operational supply chain since the 1990’s, reaching a cultivation area of 574 hectares.
The seminar titled ‘Hemp postharvest processing, drying technology and quality’ was organised by the UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering and supported by the Hemp Cooperative in Ireland.
With lectures from professor Dimitrios Argyropoulos and hemp expert Declan Darcy, the event addressed how on-farm drying can be used for the postharvest preservation of medicinal plants including hemp, however, due to its high investment and energy costs, it also represents a large expense.
This seminar was designed to introduce participants to the principles of postharvest processing and drying technologies utilised in the medicinal plant industry, and the factors which can affect herbal drug quality. It aimed to contribute to the implementation of approaches and tools that can help farmers and processors develop the skills they need for optimal processing of hemp.
