Morocco’s three authorized cannabis-growing regions—Al Hoceima, Chefchaouen, and Taounate—have officially kicked off the cultivation of the traditional local cannabis strain known as Beldia in early April, according to Hespress AR sources from the National Agency for Regulating Cannabis-Related Activities.
This comes after delays in February and March due to heavy rain and snow, which made planting conditions unsuitable at the time.
This year’s cultivation is set to expand significantly, with the area dedicated to Beldia expected to reach over 3,500 hectares, three times larger than last season’s 1,100 hectares.
The surge is driven by high demand from farmers eager to grow the crop legally, supported by licenses issued through the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities and the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA).
Preparations for the import of cannabis seeds are now in their final stages, with planting scheduled for June. These imported seeds are undergoing strict checks by ONSSA to ensure they meet Morocco’s agricultural, technical, and health standards.
This seed importation effort is part of a larger national strategy aimed at formalizing and regulating the cannabis sector in a way that promotes sustainable development and offers an alternative economic path for the involved regions.
Beldia is specifically targeted for use in the medical and pharmaceutical industries. To manage this, the regulatory agency, working alongside ONSSA, has put in place a clear protocol for legal cultivation.
Under this system, cooperatives must have a binding agreement with a licensed buyer who guarantees to purchase the crop and use it exclusively for medical or pharmaceutical purposes.
In cases where the buyer can’t purchase the entire harvest, producers are required to destroy any leftover cannabis with more than 1% THC and only keep the parts that meet the legal limit.
The production of cannabis-based medicines in Morocco is governed by Law 13.21, which regulates the legal use of cannabis, and Law 17.04, Morocco’s Drug and Pharmacy Code. These laws stipulate that cannabis medicines must contain at least 1% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component.
Medical cannabis accounts for about 60% of the global legal cannabis market. With a well-developed infrastructure, Morocco is positioned to capitalize on this demand, particularly following the 2022 establishment of THC thresholds under legal guidelines.
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