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“Steady coco peat demand expected ahead of key planting seasons”

Published

19 minutes ago

January 11, 2026

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India’s supply of coir for export remains stable despite processing hiccups due to heavy rains, says Krishna Patil of Maharashtra-based produce export consultancy Krishna International Trade. “Availability is now stable due to improvements in coconut processing infrastructure in southern India. The flow of raw materials is now better managed than before, supporting both domestic consumption and export commitments.”

According to Patil, this year’s production has increased by 5-8% over last year, backed by better processing efficiency, mechanization and planning, with manufacturers also meeting export requirements. He said, “Supply generally appears balanced, but commodity fluctuations, container shortages and strict quality controls on EC, pH and moisture keep India’s coco peat exporters on the lookout. Strong process controls are essential to convert domestic grade material into export-matched quality.”

Patil’s coco peat export markets include Europe, particularly Spain, the Netherlands and Italy, as well as the Middle East, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia. As he explains, “these markets are in regular cycles of planting and regeneration, so demand remains stable rather than sudden. Importers go beyond spot deals to find long-term partners. Domestically, local buyers often encounter quality differences and do not fully meet export specifications, although more users are now looking for export quality and standards.”

Coir peat is now more expensive to source, which Patil attributes to processing rather than demand. “Prices are 10% higher in recent months, mainly due to raw material shortages, higher logistics costs, slower drying due to two years of erratic rains, and not due to increased demand. Even if demand is stable, limited materials available for shipment and longer processing times are putting upward pressure on prices in the short term.”

Looking ahead, Patil sees demand growing steadily in the coming weeks and months as planting ramps up in key markets in Europe and the Middle East. “Prices may remain firm in the short term due to ongoing processing delays and limited ready stock due to the prolonged rain pattern. A gradual stabilization is expected over the next month or two. Once the weather normalizes, production lead times and material availability should improve, leading to a smooth return to balance.”

For more information: © Krishna International Trade
Krishna Patil
Krishna International Trade
Telephone: +91 90 22 810 343
Email: (email protected)
www.patilinternationaltrade.com

Related Topics:ahead coco Demand expected Key peat planting seasons Steady

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Wisconsin GOP Lawmakers Are Divided On How To Regulate Hemp THC Products

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Cannabis News

Wisconsin GOP Lawmakers Are Divided On How To Regulate Hemp THC Products

Published

26 minutes ago

January 11, 2026

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“We would like to work together … to make sure – in my humble opinion – that we protect our constituents, but also I think it’s necessary to protect an industry.”

Isiah Holmes, to the Wisconsin Examiner

Wisconsin lawmakers are pushing for competing visions for the state’s hemp future.

One proposal, (SB 682), was discussed at Thursday’s meeting of the Senate Agriculture and Revenue Committee.

The bill would create a regulatory framework for hemp-derived cannabis products that would keep the state’s hemp industry afloat despite a federal ban that takes effect in November. Without state intervention, or the federal government choosing to reverse course, hemp growers and distributors fear Wisconsin’s $700 million industry and about 3,500 jobs will disappear.

Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point), chairman of the Agriculture and Revenue Committee, introduced the bipartisan hemp bill to his committee, which he authored with bipartisan support.

Testin’s legislation would define hemp as any cannabis plant that contains no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC (or the maximum concentration allowed by federal law of up to 1 percent, whichever is greater) and would define “hemp-derived cannabinoids” as compounds extracted from the hemp plant. THC concentrations would be determined using specific high-throughput test methods.

The bill would require Wisconsinites to be at least 21 years old to purchase hemp-derived cannabinoid products, which would require the products to undergo independent laboratory testing to ensure they contain the amount and type of cannabinoids described on the product label. This practice, known as true labeling, is something the hemp industry has called for in recent years.

The products could not be sold based on the invoice including contact information for the manufacturer or brand owner, serving sizes for each container of the product, including allergens, ingredient lists, labeled potency in milligrams, and required warnings. According to the bill, hemp-derived products could not contain more than 10 milligrams of THC in a single serving.

Testin said Thursday that the industrial hemp market was worth about $11 billion in 2025, and would grow to $48 billion by 2032.

In Wisconsin, such products are “generally allowed legally but unregulated,” Testin said.

“There is no state law that restricts sales to minors, regulates the potency or content of (hemp-derived cannabinoid products), or imposes labeling or packaging requirements.” Minnesota, Kentucky, Tennessee and other states have enacted their own regulations, Testin said. “Regulations are needed (to remove the current uncertainty about the cannabinoid status of hemp-derived products), to provide stability and certainty to companies looking to enter this segment of the economy, and to enforce public safety regulations.”

Testin and Republican Rep. Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc) have worked on hemp laws for Wisconsin since the federal Farm Bill passed in 2018.

“I actually grew hemp,” Kurtz said, recalling that in 2019 “it was kind of an open market.”

Kurtz and others who called him “bad actors” also rode the hemp wave throughout the hearing, seeing it as a “get-rich-quick scheme.” Kurtz said the hemp industry today is full of people who want to do the right thing, but the “bad actors” have persisted.

said Kurtz SB 682 It’s designed so Wisconsinites “know they’re getting the best product and what they’re getting.”

“If we do nothing, hemp will be illegal at the federal level … but it’s still going to be legal here in the state of Wisconsin. So it’s in our best interest to work together, to get a good compromise, to get some common sense legislation to make sure that — in my humble opinion — we protect our constituents, but also I think it’s necessary to protect an industry.”

While hemp would be illegal at the federal level, a state-level industry could operate similarly to the way some states have recreational or legalized cannabis programs, largely because the federal government has not cracked down on these industries.

Testin added, “Regardless of anyone’s thoughts on cannabis and cannabinoids, it’s here. And obviously, we have a lot of different perspectives on how we should move forward.”

He repeatedly blasted the “stupidity” of what he described as “our gentlemen” in Washington DC, but also criticized other hemp-related bills in Wisconsin. While some Republicans want to ban hemp products outright, others have different ideas about how a legal industry should be regulated.

Bill introduced by Sen. Eric Wimberger (R-Oconto). SB 681It would require licenses for manufacturers and distributors of hemp-derived cannabinoid products. The products would be sold under a three-tier system and would be regulated like alcohol under the Division of Alcoholic Beverages, a component of the Department of Revenue, which would be renamed the Division of Intoxicating Products.

Although Testin and Wimberger’s bill have garnered bipartisan support, Testin described Wimberger’s bill as a “dead bill” and “more dead than dead.”

Testin argued that SB 681 would over-regulate the hemp industry and lead to a monopolization effect where a small number of entities control who gets hemp permits, creating a competitive market and acting as a “good boys’ club.”

Sen. Sarah Keyeski (D-Lodi) highlighted the division among state Republicans over hemp and cannabis products, noting that Democrats are not the ones who support legalization and regulation.

The committee room was filled with people from across the hemp industry who listened to the conversation. When lawmakers asked how to ensure children don’t get intoxicating cannabis products, distributors and manufacturers pointed to age-verification software even for online sales, which require a photo and image of a driver’s license to accept an order.

Marketing of children’s products using cartoon-like advertising and attractive candy wrappers was discussed.

Some veterans have testified how hemp has helped them relieve pain, kick addictive pain killers, soothe PTSD symptoms, and help them relax their bodies to sleep.

Other testimony focused on the risk of crossing state lines into Michigan or Illinois to obtain cannabis to treat various medical conditions.

Hemp farmers insist they now need to know how a federal ban will affect them as they decide when or if to plant this spring.

Much of the public testimony was in favor of Testin’s bill, although some speakers said it should protect farmers and growers and expand the types of products to include beverages and gummies.

“Yes, we are now in a scenario where there are intoxicating hemp products,” Testin said. “But not just anything like beer, wine or alcohol, we need to put some sensible regulations in place, which is what this bill aims to do.”

“In terms of concerns about smoking or getting fat from these products,” Testin added, “it’s no different than people consuming too much stale fish fry or drinking too much beer on a Friday night. It’s one’s choice and responsibility, but at the same time, making sure we have some regulations in place.”

The hemp industry deserves to “grow and grow,” Testin said, adding that the public deserves protection and knowing that “this stuff isn’t falling into the hands of people it shouldn’t be, like children.”

This story was first published by the Wisconsin Examiner.

Brendan Cleak’s photo.

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Cannabis News

New Global Sales Director announced for Rock River Laboratory

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

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Rock River Laboratory, an international provider of agricultural analytics, data management tools and model development, today announced the hiring of David Williams as Global Sales Director to lead its expanded agronomy sales team. In this new role, Williams will integrate and lead representatives from A&L Canada Laboratories in London, Ontario; Auburn, Ind., Agri-Labs; and Frontier Labs in Clear Lake, Iowa, with the Rock River Laboratory team based in Watertown, Wisconsin.

“David’s diverse and dedicated leadership experience stands before him, and we have complete confidence in his ability to form cohesiveness in the expert teams we are assembling,” shares Zachery Meyer, CEO of Rock River Laboratory. “Customer service remains a top priority for our organization, and David’s work will ensure our commitment to customer success, strengthening the value our team members bring to our customers’ challenges and opportunities.”

Williams attended Southern Illinois University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, Food and Nutrition, specializing in livestock production, and a Master of Science in ruminant nutrition. His experience includes nearly a decade in sales management and production oversight, most recently with Land O’Lakes – Purina Animal Nutrition. Prior to joining Purina, Williams managed a large beef-calf operation and served as assistant farm manager at the university’s beef and pork center, building on a production farming background that began on his family’s farm in southern Illinois.

A decorated infantry veteran, Williams has completed a combat deployment to Iraq, served in the Commanding General’s Mountain Color Guard out of Fort Riley, and continues as a chaplain in the Illinois Army National Guard.

For more information:
Rock River Laboratory
https://rockriverlab.com/

Cannabis News

Proposed Texas Hemp License Fee Hike Will Force Businesses To Close, Advocates Say

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

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“Many small businesses cannot absorb this level of cost and will be forced to close rather than innovate.”

By Stephen Simpson, The Texas Tribune

Texas state health officials have proposed raising licensing fees for some hemp businesses by 13,000 percent, among changes that many industry members and advocates say will shut down small operations in favor of larger out-of-state companies.

Proponents of this change say it is necessary to strengthen oversight of an industry that has grown out of control.

At the end of last monthThe Texas Department of State Health Services published a set has proposed rules to tighten regulations on consumable hemp productsThis includes establishing a minimum purchase age of 21, along with age verification requirements and mandatory product recalls, all of which are measures supported by the hemp industry.

However, the two proposed rules that have caused the most heartburn among advocates and businesses are new testing requirements and increases in licensing fees. Manufacturer licenses would increase from $250 to $25,000 per facility per year and retail registrations from $150 to $20,000 per location per year, an increase of more than 13,000 percent.

Industry members say the new requirements to test THC levels in consumable hemp products would eliminate the use of hemp flower to manufacture products such as edibles and combustibles because hemp flowers contain THC levels higher than the new limit. They say eliminating the use of hemp flowers would allow more synthetically derived THC, such as delta-9, to flourish.

“The proposed rules eliminate about 80 percent of what every store sells, including ours, which is natural hemp flower, and it would certainly eliminate the entire THC rule,” Kemah-based owner Scott Stubb. Sublingwell Cannabinoids and Euphoricshe said in a public health agency of the state hearing in the rules on Friday. “Then you add in the fees it’s $20,000 per store, I don’t know, honestly, how we would stay open.”

Hemp distributors say the new license fee is a fundamental restructuring of their ability to operate legally in Texas.

“DSHS’ fiscal analysis assumes that nearly all currently registered retailers will pay the proposed $20,000 fee, generating more than $200 million in annual revenue. This assumption is unrealistic. Many small businesses cannot absorb this level of cost and will be forced to close rather than innovate,” said Heather Fazio, director of the Cannabis Policy Center of Texas. has been submitted for public comment.

Fazio said licensing and registration fees should be structured to recover the reasonable costs of effective regulation, not to function as a revenue mechanism that drives companies out of the regulated market.

“The department’s own calculations show that the increased costs of administering these rules are minimal. In that context, it is not clear why the dramatic fee increases are necessary or justified,” he said.

Supporters of the license fee increase said this is a necessary step to protect children from cannabis products and want more enforcement of penalties for cannabis shops operating without a license.

“Cannabis advocates say it’s a billion-dollar industry. It’s only fair and appropriate to create fees that help cover the cost of regulating the product and the burden on society for people who profit from the sale of billions of dollars in intoxicating products,” said Betsy Jones, director of policy and strategy for Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth.

Aubree Adams, director of Citizens for a Safe and Healthy Texas, called for more regulations on the industry, including raising the minimum purchase age to 25 and requiring hemp companies to also help pay for public education, data collection, processing, infrastructure and more.

“This problem facing the state is the normalization and promotion of retail groups driven by chemical manipulations and misleading information,” he said.

Multiple veterans also opposed the elimination of products derived from hemp flowers, which many rely on to help them sleep or deal with issues like PTSD and anxiety.

“I spent 16 months overseas and used many different pharmaceuticals that were dangerous and caused me seizures and physical damage. These health products have given me my life back and allowed me to go back to work,” said San Antonio combat veteran Adam Peterson. “A total ban on THC will basically take away access to good medicine that helps me.”

Fazio said removing regulated access to hemp flower won’t take away consumer demand. It will push people into the unregulated market.

“The result goes against the public health goals these rules are intended to advance,” he said.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the Texas Department of State Health Services have proposed new rules aimed at regulating the edible hemp market to comply with Governor Greg Abbott’s (R) executive order.

The two agencies are working together, as neither has jurisdiction over the entire landscape of retailers selling hemp consumables.

For example, the TABC rules would not apply to licensed hemp sellers under the state Department of Health Services, including online stores, gas stations, and online retailers that do not sell liquor and are presumed not to have a liquor license. The same can be said for the 60,000 TABC licensees, such as restaurants and liquor stores. The TABC has yet to propose any changes to licensing fees for businesses selling hemp consumables.

The executive order came after the Texas Legislature spent most of last year debating whether to ban consumer hemp products or impose stricter regulations on the industry. Abbott vetoed the outright ban passed by the House and Senate last summer. The governor then put THC regulations on the agenda for two consecutive special sessions, but lawmakers did unable to find a compromise before the end of the second session.

Instead of calling a third special session, Abbott issued his own executive order, bypassing the Legislature. The decision pits Abbott against Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who has been a staunch supporter of banning consumer hemp products.

After months of uncertainty over whether the Legislature would consider a full ban, THC industry representatives celebrated Abbott’s order at the time, saying it would allow THC to further establish itself as a legal industry in the state.

However, the rules proposed by some industry members are very similar to the ban.

“When the governor vetoed that bill, our voice was being amplified and taking the fee structure in the same bill undermines that outcome,” said Hayden Meek, owner of Denton-based Delta Denton. “A $20,000 fee falls on a multi-state corporation fee; for a single-location store like mine, 20,000 is death by cutbacks.”

This the article appeared for the first time Texas Tribune.

Max Jackson’s photo.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.