Ec Embarks On Efforts To Become The Countrys Cannabis Industry

Twenty-six Eastern Cape farmers have received hemp seeds as part of a R1 billion investment by Medigrow and the Coega Special Economic Zone in Gqeberha. The venture is part of an initial R100 million investments in an indoor cannabis cultivation project.

The handing over of the seeds marked the launch of the provinces campaign to become the hub of the countrys cannabis industry.

The indoor cannabis cultivation facility will perform various tasks, such as cannabidiol extraction, packaging and cigarette manufacturing.

The project, on a 10,000-hectare piece of land, will see the processing of cannabis for various medicinal products and oils, and will create about 30,000 job opportunities when fully operational.

"These machines are going to really assist our farmers to diversify the production of cannabis, to make sure they can be real owners of their produce and also ensure they are part of the value chain. We want farmers to show the rest of the country how economic spin-offs and benefits of trading cananbis," says Nonceba Kontsiwe, Eastern Cape MEC for Agriculture.