Non-Food Options at Farm Level Annual Fibre Crops

Non-Food Options at Farm Level Annual Fibre Crops Steef Lips/Wolter Elbersen Wageningen UR Institute AFSG 23-April 2008

Introduction Strategic Niche Management of Non-food products Bast fibre crops Production and processing chains Statistics and Applications Environmental effects Data sheets Critical success factors Conclusions Overview

Quantitative description of annual fibre crop production systems from field to end product Flax Hemp (Kenaf) Discussion and analysis of critical success factors Dew retting of flax Harvest of flax Hemp production line Hemp production line Task 26 Annual Fibre Crop Systems

Innovation policy for non-food chains in the Netherlands (and EU) is analysed (since the 1980s) using Strategic Niche Management (SNM) theory Factors of success for innovations in this field are presented based on a stakeholder study. Recommendations for innovators and policy makers in the field of non-food products are derived. The quality of the processes at regime level and at niche level has increased considerably in the last years. Beyond Agrification; an analysis of policy and innovation for non-food application of agricultural produce since the 1980s in the Netherlands.(in review) Harriëtte L. Bos, Maja A. Slingerland, Wolter Elbersen, Rudy Rabbinge. 2008.

A specific market demand is crucial. The entrepreneur who will market the new product has to take the lead for market introduction comes into view. A successful new technology is not enough. Demand still needs to be created. Availability of suitable infrastructure helps in bringing a new development to the market, the need for a large investment in infrastructure is serious barrier Many successful initiatives are spin-offs from existing agro-food production chains, setting up a completely new production chain, with new players, is much more difficult and costly. Environmental benefits are by themselves not enough, unless these benefits provide specific functional advantages. Existing regulations can obstruct market introduction. New regulations can provide protection for a technological niche and are often give an impulse to products based on renewable raw materials. The end market for biobased products and the raw materials are very different. In the EU the price of raw materials is often too high. Imports are needed. A new product does not mean success for local farmers. These observations are important on an individual development level to increase the chances of success and should also be considered when taking policy measures. Factors for success of a renewable resource based product or innovation

Drivers renewable resource policies have changed over the last twenty five years, the stimulating measures of the government have focused mainly on the stimulation of R&D. Stimulation of R&D is important. For a market to take off other measures to protect a technological niche can be crucial. The measures that need to be taken will have a direct influence on the market and thus require political decisions. Mainly investing in R&D and expecting the market to take off by itself, strengthens the “innovation paradox”: a lot of high grade fundamental knowledge, but very few new products in the market. Our analysis shows that the trend towards a biobased economy is now far more robust than it was There are good opportunities for the government to strengthen these developments with the proper policy instruments, taking into account the lessons of the past. Conclusions

Flax Hemp Kenaf Bast Fibre Crops Dew retting of flax Harvest of flax Hemp production line water retting of kenaf

Natures construction of a flax stem

Agricultural production Breeding /seed production soil preparation climate sowing irrigation / fertiliser weed and disease control harvest / retting Stems Storage/transport Fibre extraction Hurds/Shives Decortication scutching (cleaning) hackling (combing) Short fibres Fibres Sliver Textile processing calandering refining, drafting, and doubling spinning weaving finishing and design Yarn Fabric Marketable end-product Flax Textile production chain

Textile production chain consumer marketing &design weaving spinning € primary processing processing

Agricultural production Breeding /seed production soil preparation climate sowing irrigation / fertiliser weed and disease control harvest / retting Stems Storage/transport Fibre extraction Hurds Decortication scutching (cleaning) Short fibres Hemp short fibre production chain

Textile 40% of flax Paper 85% of hemp fibres 35% of flax fibres Composites 12% of hemp fibres 25% of flax fibres Building/insulation 3% of hemp fibres Applications of short fibres

FAO and EU databases not always reliable, sometimes straw and fibres are mixed up. FAO stopped data collecting on hemp production. China is largest producer of flax and hemp fibres. In EU 95 % of flax is produced in the area Northern France, Belgium and Netherlands. France produces most of the flax in Europe. Hemp production area is 13% of the flax production area. France also produces most of the hemp in the EU. Production areas

Flax production area (ha) Data from CELC (Confédération Européenne du Lin et du Chanvre)

Hemp production area (ha) Data from CELC (Confédération Européenne du Lin et du Chanvre)

Hemp production area Data from CELC (Confédération Européenne du Lin et du Chanvre)

Flax long fibre data France Data from CELC (Confédération Européenne du Lin et du Chanvre) Increased area and higher yields led to higher sales at lower prices and increasing stock in the last years

Growth last year <3% primarily based on the new techniques of flow-moulding and injection moulding No clear direction for NF materials: Insider said Successes in the past, weakening at the moment, and an interesting future”

3.6 kg/passenger car in 2004 and 2005 only slightly higher than in 2003 (3.5 kg/passenger car).

Flax short prices (France) and share in German automotives Sources: NOVA and CELC High flax prices resulted in higher imports of other fibres. No turn back at lower prices again. Hemp short of availability.

Linen shirt compared to cotton shirt (Bio Intelligence Service) 15% more primary energy consumption, ¼ of water consumption, 18% less eutrophication, 1/8 of aquatic ecotoxicity potential, equal global warming potential. Hemp requires no crop protection chemicals. Bast fibres can only compete in specialty pulps for paper making— high transport costs and chemical recovery required In disposable tissues and diapers the persistence of synthetic fibres is in favour for the use of renewable and degradable fibres, provided that the technical performance is the same Environmental aspects

Biodegradable plant pots based on plant fibres Can not compete with plastic pots on price. Ecological advantage for using biodegradable products is not yet included in the product costs. UK has marked plastic plant pots with extra tax. Increased interests of consumers and producers. Fibre crops could play a more important role in building and construction applications. Insulation, fibre board material, lightweight concrete, bricks and loam buiding blocks. Abaca fibres can replace asbestos in cement Kenaf insulation panels have lower impact than other products, 50% of the energy consumption originates from the 15% polyester fibre that is added as a glue. Environmental aspects

Natural fibres in composite Agrofibres composites have lower impact in transport applications than glass fibre composites due to lower weight. Hemp reinforced car parts compared with ABS parts have not only a small environmental advantage in the production phase, but also the weight saving leads to energy savings during the use phase. Miscanthus reinforced PP transport pallets has an environmental advantage of 30% over glass fibre. Significant reduction of energy consumption due to weight saving during the use phase was reported. Environmental aspects

Flax datasheet for ENFA model Composed from literature and interviews Contains environment related data

Flax Datasheet for ENFA model Composed from literature and interviews Also contains economic data

Crucial for a successful initiative is the existence of a specific market demand for the new product, but a market does not develop by itself, it needs to be created. Automotives-- Replacing glass fibre by natural fibre was technically feasible and slowly growing with limited impact on the market. The demand for this alternative to glass fibre composites has only developed when new laws were introduced (in Germany) which made companies responsible for recycling their products. Critical success factors

The development needs to be technologically feasible, but a successful new technology is in itself not enough to guarantee a successful market introduction, the market demand still needs to be created new process in which granules of natural fibres and plastic composites was developed. Numerous products can be moulded with this composite that are recyclable and can be used as fuel at the end of the life cycle. This half product creates new possibilities in the use of natural fibres composites. The technology is ready but the market for this product needs to be created. Critical success factors

The availability of suitable infrastructure helps in bringing a new development to the market, the need for a large investment in infrastructure can be a serious barrier for new developments. Hemp processing in the Netherlands To be competitive large scale processing is necessary large investments. Less risk by starting by installing a full-scale second hand fibre extraction line in existing buildings and using existing infrastructure for equipment and storage Critical success factors

Environmental benefits such as biodegradability and renewability and sustainability in general are by themselves not enough to sell a (biobased) product, unless these benefits provide specific functional advantages. LCA claims are difficult to quantify. Even when there are obvious environmental advantages, most of the consumers will make their choices on price and performance. Natural fibres are thought to equalize the humidity in living spaces better than mineral and glass wool. This selling point is much more relevant in the market as this is specifically demanded. A positive environmental impact is less relevant as this is not specifically required for in the market. Critical success factors

Existing regulations can obstruct market introduction. Warm water retting of fibres in Iceland to get high quality was feasible but import taxes made it to costly to get the fibres back for further processing. Kyoto: High wheat prices combined with low fibre prices forces farmers to switch from fibres to wheat. Expectation 2008 - 20% less flax in the Netherlands and -10% flax in Spain On the other hand new regulations which forbid or discourage current products or directly promote or facilitate biobased products are often necessary to give an impulse to products based on renewable raw materials. EU support for fibre crops is essential UK Pot plants Recycling of car parts Critical success factors

The end market for biobased products and the raw materials market are very different. In Europe the price of agricultural raw materials is often so high that raw materials are cheaper imported from abroad. Successful introduction of a new product based on agricultural raw materials does not automatically mean success for potential local producers of raw material. In Italy insulation materials are produced from local grown kenaf. However the company has started to import kenaf fibres from Asia which can be delivered at about the same price. Larger scale processing and higher growing yields are necessary to be competitive with fibres from Asia. Critical success factors

Natural fibres can be used in many products to make them renewable and more sustainable. This is not enough to create a market for these new products. A product must have specific advantages in the use phase as the majority of consumers will buy on price and performance. Or the use of these products has to be stimulated by regulations. The cultivation of fibre crops in the EU does need EU-support . Current high food prices should make fibre crops less competitive. This has not taken into account in the analyses presented. Conclusions

Wolter.elbersen@wur.nl Steef.lips@wur.nl END

Non-Food Options at Farm Level Annual Fibre Crops