Anatolian hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivation, processing, and production: history and recent observations

Abstract

Cannabis sativa L. has been grown in Anatolia since ancient times and commercial cultivation persists on a limited scale today. Valued for its durable fiber and nutritious seed, hemp was an important subsistence crop in many rural households. Throughout the Ottoman Empire hemp cordage, fabrics and oakum were maritime necessities and internationally traded commodities. During the twentieth century commercial hemp fiber and seed production levels fluctuated due to regulatory and market forces, eventually leading to a steady decline commencing in the 1980s. Hemp production in Turkey only survives today in specialized market settings, although recently production has increased. Historical data largely gleaned from Turkish language sources is presented along with personal communications and field observations.