The largest industrial hemp primary processing facility in Ukraine has started operations at the Ma’Ryzhany Industrial Park in Zhytomyr region. The company "Ma’Ryzhany Hemp Company" revived an old flax factory and built a modern plant with an annual capacity of 14,000 tons. The plant will produce fiber for both the European textile industry and the domestic market. The opening was attended by Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Yulia Svyrydenko, and Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development, Dmytro Kysylevskyi.
“Developing domestic processing is one of the key goals of the government’s ‘Made in Ukraine’ policy and a part of the national economic idea. We need to shift the economy’s structure from raw materials to high-tech production and increase the output of high value-added goods. Therefore, we support every new manufacturing facility that introduces modern technologies. This is a step toward restoring the Ukrainian economy and its independence,” said Yulia Svyrydenko.
According to the company, hemp fiber processing in Ukraine practically disappeared in the 1990s, along with combed yarn production. This made the textile industry dependent on imports and reduced its competitiveness.
To change this, in 2023 Ma’Ryzhany Hemp Company began reconstructing the abandoned flax factory, and by 2025 it has become a modern high-tech facility.
In 2024, the company sowed 890 hectares of industrial hemp, and in 2025 that area is projected to grow to 1,200 hectares—the largest hemp cultivation area in Central and Eastern Europe.
Key facts about the facility:
- Production area: 10,000 m²
- Warehouse area: 10,800 m²
- Construction and equipment installation fully completed
- Raw material testing and production of initial samples underway
“Restoring primary hemp fiber processing is a key element in reviving industrial hemp cultivation, which once made Ukraine a powerful player in the global textile market. Having a domestic raw material base is crucial for price competitiveness. Moreover, industrial hemp is not only raw material for textiles but also an ecological and renewable resource for dozens of other industries. Rebuilding the textile chain is just the beginning of the vast industrial potential that Ma’Ryzhany Hemp Company is laying down today,” commented the company’s director, Andriy Mykytiv.
What will the plant produce?
- Long fiber for textiles and technical fabrics (for export, with prospects for further processing inside Ukraine for the fashion industry)
- Short fiber for paper, nonwoven materials, and insulation
- Hemp hurds (core) — raw material for bioplastics, construction materials, and animal bedding
This integrated approach allows for maximal use of the harvested raw materials and production of high value-added products.
Ma’Ryzhany Hemp Company is part of the Ma’Ryzhany Industrial Park, covering around 30 hectares. The park’s goal is to attract businesses working with industrial hemp processing products and create over 700 new jobs. The park’s activity will also encourage farmers in Zhytomyr region to grow industrial hemp and support the development of a sustainable hemp industry ecosystem in Ukraine.
