Global Hemp Production (2013–2023): The Roles of Harvested Area and Fertilizer Use
Débora Paulino
Abstract
Industrial hemp is frequently discussed as a potential crop for agricultural diversification and bio-based production systems, yet cross-country evidence on its production dynamics remains limited. This study examines the relationship between hemp production, harvested area and national fertilizer consumption using an unbalanced country-year panel covering 2013–2023. Pooled ordinary least squares and panel-data estimators are used to investigate associations between production scale and aggregate agricultural input use, with complementary specifications examining yield. The results indicate a strong positive association between harvested area and hemp production. National fertilizer consumption is also positively associated with production, although its estimated relationship differs across model specifications. These findings suggest that changes in cultivated area were an important correlate of hemp production dynamics during the study period. However, because fertilizer consumption is measured at the national rather than crop-specific level, the results do not directly establish fertilizer requirements or environmental performance in hemp cultivation. The study contributes cross-country evidence on the structure of hemp production while highlighting the data limitations that constrain assessments of crop-specific input use and productivity.