Fuente: WIPO "hemp" Methods and apparatus for processing a green plant stalk having a fibrous outer part and an inner hurd are disclosed. The method includes the steps of facilitating rupture of bonds between the fibre and the hurd in a bond rupturing step, splitting the stalk substantially longitudinally to expose the hurd, and decorticating the split stalk (30a, 30b) to separate the fibre from the hurd. The apparatus includes bond rupture means to facilitate the rupture of bonds between the fibre and the hurd, counter-rotating pressing rollers (39, 40), splitting means (41) for splitting the stalk substantially longitudinally and decorticating means (50) for thesplit stalk to separate the fibre from the hurd. A plant stalk tobe processed according to processing methods and apparatus may be a hemp stalk. A particularly preferred hemp is that of the genus $i(Cannabis sativa L) and species thereof. Methods and apparatus for harvesting and processing a bast crop are also disclosed.