The Eastern Cape hemp investment opportunities are listed in the DTIC’s 2025 Investment Book which seeks outside funding for a number of major capital projects in the green energy and other economic sectors throughout the country.
The DTIC has moved away from promoting medical cannabis opportunities to global investors and is instead looking to industrial cannabis which has more potential to create jobs.
All three potential hemp projects are located in the Eastern Cape and have TexTan Industrial as the ‘responsible partner’. TexTan is a fibre extraction and manufacturing start-up business in the East London SEZ, and not a Chinese company as erroneously reported earlier.
The projects span the hemp value chain from cutivation, facility processing and product engineering.
The project detailed in the DTIC’s 2025 Country Investment brochure are:
Project 1: Hemp Straw Primary Processing (Mechanical) Facility: The DTIC says the project is at a “bankable’ feasibility stage with a major offtake agreement secured from a South African-based grain manufacturer and textile company. It is seeking US$20 million investment through an equity and debt structure for the facility which is designed to process between 30 000 and 120 000 metric tons of biomass a month. The project aims to create 12 000 jobs and generate value of US$25 million a year.
Project 2: Hemp Straw and Biomass Cultivation: An equity investment of US$18 million is sought to plant 2 500 ha of hemp for fibre and seed. This component is planned to create 2 500 new jobs and generate value of US9 million per annum. The project is at a bankable stage with offtakes secured from two South African-based hemp straw primary processors.
Project 3: Hemp Textiles Engineering Company: The DTIC seeks to establish a company to produce a range of non-woven (felt and non-crimp) and woven (fabrics) for a range of local and international buyers in the composites, geo-textiles, insulation, construction, and automotive industries. It is looking for US18 million in equity and debt and for a potential offtake partner. The project will create 300 jobs but will create high value products planned to generate US$70 million every year. It says an offtake has been secured from a large South African-based textiles conglomerate and hemp felt company. This project is in pre-commercialization phase (TRL 7) for a hemp-based, non-woven textiles line.
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