Moroccan authorities announced on Sunday the official start of the first season of legal cannabis cultivation in Morocco, two years after the country’s parliament passed a law aimed at regulating an already widespread activity.
The first batch of cannabis seeds, imported from Switzerland, Uruguay, Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy, and the United States, was delivered to farmers and agricultural cooperatives in the northern provinces of Al Hoceima, Chefchaouen, and of Taounate. The varieties have not been disclosed but the origin of the seeds most likely indicates varieties intended for industrial use with THC levels between 0.3 and 1%.
Local media reported that the cannabis seeds distributed for the 2023 season will cover 105 hectares of land, with over 170 farmers involved in the process.
The Moroccan government says the number of farmers benefiting from these permits will increase to 500 during the next agricultural season.
One of the investors who imported seeds from Switzerland said that the distribution of seeds, around 760,000 seeds, gave the farmers a boost and encouraged them to commit to this ambitious project. He added that in the next crop year, 500 farmers will be targeted.
Our commitment to this strategic project as investors in the country is natural given that my field of work is agriculture. After reviewing the project and its study, we decided to commit to it,” the investor told Moroccan media Hespress.
The process of importing cannabis seeds is subject to strict rules. Importers must obtain special authorizations from the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Farmers must be formal members of state agricultural cooperatives. Those who received the seeds had to sign receipts in order to track the quantities distributed.
