Studies on Industrial Use of Hemp Are Being Conducted at OMU

At Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU), studies are being carried out to increase the added value of hemp as an industrial product.

In Samsun, in addition to the cultivation and harvest of hemp, projects and R&D studies are carried out on its use in the defense industry, insulation material, health sector and industry.

Ondokuz Mayıs University Rector Prof. Dr. Yavuz Ünal told AA correspondent that OMÜ started hemp production and processing studies 25 years ago.

Ünal, who announced that they established the “Hemp Research Institute” within the university in 2019, said, “We hosted serious studies on the transformation of hemp into an industrial product. We have worked on producing genes that can be grown in different regions, different soils and different climates, especially at our university, and this work was deemed worthy of support by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK). OMÜ actually offers a treasure to Turkey with over 2 thousand hemp genes in its possession. It is trying to provide product diversity in producing hemp that can be used in different regions of Turkey and for different purposes.”

“Foreign dependency in the defense industry will decrease”

Ünal, who said that increasing the added value of hemp could be possible by transforming this plant into an industrial product, said, “OMÜ made a protocol with the Ministry of National Defense to produce a domestic and national cable. Its prototype will be produced in the near future. We have an important project to eliminate external dependency at this point by first producing the spool and then the cable.”

Rector Ünal, who also mentioned that we have conducted a different study on hemp with TAI, said, “The flexible, light and durable structure of hemp makes it possible to use it for different purposes, especially in different places such as aircraft in the defense industry. This gives hope for the future. We think that it will make a very serious difference and accelerate Turkey’s movement and development efforts in the defense industry.”

Yavuz Ünal, who mentioned that they have a protocol with the Turkish Space Agency in addition to these studies and projects, said, “Our work in this area continues. The project will start soon. However, since it is private, it is a field of work that we do not want to give too much detail. In this sense, the Turkish Space Agency and OMÜ have entered into a good cooperation. They will probably continue on their way with two different projects.”

“OMÜ will be one of the leading institutions in Turkey regarding hemp”

Prof. Dr. Ünal, who reported that studies were being carried out to increase the added value of hemp by introducing it to the market in the health sector, said, “One of the important things is that hemp is directly used in cancer and similar health problems. Although it has not yet emerged because the legal process has not been completed, there are serious projects that we are carrying out as a university. We have studies that will support the pharmaceutical industry. I hope that hemp will be defined as a priority area for OMU in the near future. Our university will be one of the leading institutions in Turkey in terms of hemp.”

“Hemp is a miracle plant”

Ünal, who stated that hemp is a versatile material and a traditional material in textiles, noted the following:

“We care about textiles because they are traditionally a part of the culture of this nation. Hemp is a durable, healthy and local product that is also used as an accessory, clothing item and daily tools. For this reason, hemp should not be seen as just a plant. In fact, hemp is a miracle plant. It seems to be a miracle plant that gives us hope in almost every way, expands our horizons in terms of the future and directs our fields of work.”