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Lesotho Wants to Export Its Cannabis to the World

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[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]L[/dropcap]esotho—one of the poorest countries in Africa—wants to export its cannabis crop to the world in order to boost its economy and create more jobs for its citizens.

Lesotho became the first African nation to issue licenses for cannabis cultivation in 2018. Cannabis is easier to grow and more lucrative than other crops such as maize and sugar cane and the nation’s fertile soil provide ideal conditions to grow the crop. Cannabis is an important piece for the government’s agricultural strategy, which the government said could be used to fund roads, electricity and water pipes.

Investors including Supreme Cannabis, Canopy Growth and Aphria have spent millions of dollars on facilities due to the low cost of production. MG Health, Lesotho’s largest cannabis producer, plans to create 3,000 jobs locally, up from the roughly 350 currently, once it reaches full production in a few years. The country has awarded 80 licenses and expects the industry to create 30,000 jobs.

Zimbabwe followed Lesotho in legalizing medical cannabis and has since awarded 37 licenses for scientific and medical use. The government in Zimbabwe is looking to reduce the country’s economic reliance on tobacco, which accounts for more than half of the exports from Zimbabwe.  The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) formally applied for a license to cultivate medical cannabis.

Zambia also recently legalized the production of cannabis. Cannabis in Zambia will only be allowed for exports and for medical consumption. Annual license fees will cost around $250,000 and government supervision will be strict because although exporting cannabis is legal, domestic use of cannabis is not.

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