South Africa leaves R30 billion to go up in smoke

The South African Cannabis Industry has so much potential but we are moving too slowly.

South Africa could have been the biggest player in the global cannabis industry – however, a lack of consolidated plans and enforcement to actualize this means the country’s R30 billion masterplan is being left to wither and die.

This is the view presented by the founder and CEO of integrated agricultural and pharmaceutical company Nexus Pharma, Johann Slabber, who is calling for better collaboration between the private and public sectors to get South Africa’s commercial cannabis plans on track.

There have been many legislative developments for cannabis (dagga) in South Africa over recent years, however the regulation for recreational and medicinal cannabis use significantly differs.

The Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr legal experts say South Africa’s advancements in hemp legislation may set a precedent for broader cannabis cultivation policies across Africa.

“It is clear that there is significant potential for cannabis cultivation in the commercial sector, promising substantial revenue for farmers.”

“The full agricultural potential of cannabis and hemp has yet to be harnessed, but there are steps, albeit ‘baby steps’, being made towards realizing that potential,” concluded Scriba, Grobler and Kleinsmidt.

Read the full article on Business Tech website here: http://bit.ly/4fHTM2v