Volume 1, Number 1
Mar 1995

Status of Commercial Development of Kenaf in the United States

The following summary of the status of kenaf in the U.S. was originally written in response to a recent telephone call to the author from someone who wanted to know 1) why kenaf isn't commercialized in the U.S., and 2) whether kenaf can be produced profitably by farmers. It is printed here with the permission of the author.

1. Commercialization. Kenaf is commercialized in the United States. There are small businesses in California, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. Agro-Fibers in Cororan, California, owns, and until very recently, operated a fiber separation plant that contracted for local agricultural production and delivery of kenaf stalk. After the bast (bark) and core fibers were separated, the core was sold as poultry litter to a large turkey operation nearby and the bast was trucked to a mat-making operation in Minnesota for erosion control and instant lawn products. A boundary change in EPA districting forced the plant to suspend California operations. Agro-Fibers, with funding instruments from USDA and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), has built and is operating a kenaf mat production plant, co-located with the Mississippi Delta Fiber Cooperative in Mississippi.

Natural Fibers of Louisiana, in Jeanerette, Louisiana, was the first fiber separation plant to go into operation, circa 1991. The president also designed, tested and uses the first commercial custom harvest system for kenaf. Natural Fibers sells bast fiber mainly for manufacture of printing and writing grade paper such as this letterhead [of the original letter]. Natural Fibers uses kenaf core fibers as the absorbent filler in the manufacture of patented oil and chemical spill products, e.g. booms, pillows, and mats.

Mississippi Delta Fiber Cooperative in Charlestown, Mississippi, runs the largest fiber separation plant and was built with funding from the TVA and operates mainly with TVA and USDA funding and support. Kenaf is grown by members of the Cooperative. Agro-Fibers is co-located here with a mat-making operation and is the main user of bast fiber. Petro X is a nearby firm which manufactures and sells oil absorbent products with kenaf core as the absorbent filler.

KP Products in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a small entrepreneurial firm which markets printing and writing grade papers made from kenaf bast fibers. Bast fiber is bought from Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas operations, pulping and papermaking is done under contract at a specialty mill in North Carolina, and converters make reams and rolls for contract buyers.

Kenaf International in McAllen, Texas, has been in kenaf research and development for more than 15 years and was the private partner in a cooperative venture with USDA which demonstrated commercial viability of kenaf newsprint in 1987. Kenaf International owns and operates a fiber separation mill and is the only domestic producer of seed. Fiber is produced by local farmers under contract. One private firm is co-located and uses core (rather than peat moss) to make potting soil mixtures for a wholesale nursery and horticulture operation. A second private firm is co-located and uses kenaf bast fiber with recycled plastic to mold a variety of container products. A third private company shares a business arrangement with Kenaf International to produce a plywood-like product from bast fiber for current and expanded markets and may co-locate in the future. Core for poultry litter and absorbent products is also sold.

Other initiatives are underway in Florida, Georgia, Hawaii and Oklahoma. I am also aware of work with kenaf in China, Italy, France, Portugal, Argentina, Mexico, Australia, and Thailand.

2. Profitable Production. Yes, farmers can profitably grow, or harvest and deliver kenaf to wholestalk or separated fiber users. The key to profitability is market demand. Kenaf fiber product markets must be understood and pricing of product inputs, such as kenaf fiber, known. If the product input price and the farm production costs (including profit) are in line, then businesses will contract with farmers and farm organizations to grow kenaf. This has happened at several locations in the U.S. and several others are in progress. Agricultural production potential and economics and product/market development need to proceed in tandem and be very carefully coordinated.