Morocco reduced areas dedicated for cannabis cultivation in 2022 to 28,000 hectares, an 80 percent decrease compared to 2003 when cannabis land encompassed 134,000 hectares, according to the annual report of the Ministry of Interior.
Water demand for growing cannabis typically exceeds that of commodity crops by nearly double.
Morocco began reducing the share of land destined for the cultivation of cannabis since 2005, when it amounted to about 134 thousand hectares. Today, cannabis cultivation is the main source of livelihood for about 90,000 families in the rural and northern regions.
The Ministry of the Interior recommended encouraging large international manufacturers with cannabis experience to invest in Morocco, through the creation of industrial units and optimal implementation of Law No. 13.21 on the legal uses of cannabis.
Morocco had subjected all activities related to cannabis, including cultivation, production, manufacturing, transportation, marketing, export and import, to a codified licensing system, headed by the Moroccan Cannabis Activities Regulatory Agency (ANRAC)
ANRAC has so far delivered the first 10 licenses for the legal production and commercialization of cannabis in Morocco, a major step in the long-awaited legalization scheme initiated a little over a year ago.
The ANRAC issued the first authorizations to industrialists who wish to invest in this newly legal sector, “as part of the implementation of the provisions of Law No. 13-21 on the legal uses of cannabis.”
In addition to granting licenses, the agency is also responsible for developing the standards that must be met by manufacturers, including storage conditions, environmental protection, as well as technical standards and transport, and certification of seeds and plants to import and market for the cultivation of cannabis.
With Morocco being the largest global producer of this good, authorities are eying significant contributions from the industry, which allows certain areas in the country to legally cultivate, transform and seek cannabis-derived products.
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