Moroccan farmers to start growing cannabis legally

Moroccan authorities announced on Sunday the official start of the first legal cannabis growing season in Morocco, two years after the country's parliament passed the bill a law aimed at regulating an activity that is already widespread.

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 Taounate. The specific varieties have not been disclosed, but the seeds’ origins strongly suggest they are varieties intended for industrial use, with THC levels ranging from 0.3 to 1%.

Local media reported that the cannabis seeds distributed for the 2023 growing season will cover 105 hectares of land, with more than 170 farmers involved in the process.

The Moroccan government says that the number of farmers receiving these permits will increase to 500 during the next growing season.

One of the investors who imported seeds from Switzerland said that the distribution of seeds—approximately 760,000 seeds—has revitalized farmers and encouraged them to commit to this ambitious project. He added that 500 farmers will be targeted during the next growing season.

«Our involvement in this strategic project as investors in the country is a natural fit, given that my field of work is agriculture. After reviewing the project and its feasibility study, we decided to get involved,« the investor told Moroccan media. Hespress.

The process of importing cannabis seeds is subject to strict regulations. Importers must obtain special permits from the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Agriculture.

Farmers, for their part, must be official members of the state’s agricultural cooperatives. Those who received the seeds had to sign receipts so that the quantities distributed could be tracked.