The hemp and cannabis industry has witnessed a substantial boost following the KwaZulu-Natal Cannabis Expo 2023 being held in Northern KwaZulu-Natal.
During the event in Bergville, 664 hemp and cannabis farmers registered with the KwaZulu-Natal Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) received permits, granting them authorisation to cultivate, store, and transport content with a Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of not more than 0.2%.
THC is the primary psychoactive component found in cannabis among 113 recognised cannabinoids.
These permits were distributed during a provincial Cannabis Expo and Conference, providing farmers access to state of the art technology through the Analytical Lab at Cedara in the uMgungundlovu District Municipality near Pietermaritzburg.
To further bolster the local cannabis sector, the MECs of the provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) convened a two day expo and conference. The event aimed to encourage collaboration among industry leaders, experts, academics, local growers, and traditional leaders (Amakhosi) to drive the sector’s growth.
Under the theme “One love, one heart,” this gathering served as a platform for local cannabis and hemp farmers and others interested in the sector to engage with businesses and academia.
Key topics under discussion included regulations, registration, production, agro-processing, and exports.
Furthermore, local businesses providing services to permit holders were each awarded R300,000. These services encompass processing, constructing tunnels, supplying lab equipment, packaging, testing, and helping farmers find markets for their products.
Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube emphasised the significance of this event, stating that it marks the beginning of a “new era for the cannabis sector in the province” and highlights the milestones achieved through the KZN Cannabis Masterplan. Looking at the money being pumped into the project, Dube-Ncube noted, “Through DARD we have set aside an amount of R47 million for cannabis research. We have allocated R10 million to assist farmers in cannabis production and hemp permit application.”
Moreover, the Provincial Government has secured an investment commitment of R120 million and participated in the Cannabis and Hemp Phakisa Action Lab to ensure policy coherence and government collaboration.
Additionally, pilot projects for commercial growers are currently underway, and the province supports various investment initiatives, including district based capacity building programs under the proposed KZN Cannabis Association.
EDTEA MEC Siboniso Duma regarded the expo as a success, affirming that the work of EDTEA and DARD is just beginning. He expressed the desire for local farmers to become champions of the cannabis sector and play a more prominent role.
DARD MEC Super Zuma emphasised the province’s dedication to unlocking prosperity through the hemp and cannabis sector, stating, “We are winning the fight to alleviate poverty and unemployment.”
EDTEA MEC Siboniso Duma said, the expo had been a success and that the work by both EDTEA and DARD was just beginning. He emphasised, “We want our farmers to be the champions of the cannabis sector and we want them to be able to speak for themselves. We are giving them an assignment to come closer to us because what we have started together, will change people’s lives.”
Meanwhile, DARD MEC Super Zuma said the province has worked steadfastly and the time to unlock the province’s prosperity through the hemp and cannabis sector, had now arrived.
Delving into the matter, Zuma said, “We have ensured a smooth process for our hemp permit holders, and we covered all their costs. We are winning the fight to alleviate poverty and unemployment and we are extremely proud of the ongoing collaborative work that continues behind the scenes, and I must say all our collaborative efforts have yielded fruit.”
A permit recipient from the Umzinyathi District Municipality, Sphelele Shezi, said this was the beginning of great things for her small business of hair products, noting that the success of the products relies on hemp seed oil.
“I applied for my permit in July because I want to start extracting oil to use in our hairspray. We also manufacture shea butter which will soon be hemp infused. This permit will allow my business to grow and I have a vision of owning a manufacturing plant which will open up job opportunities,” Shezi said.
The owner of Old Grey Distillery–which manufactures cannabis infused beverages in Johannesburg– Derek Collard, said his business has received great exposure at the expo.
“The expo has been superb. We started our business when cannabis became legal and we started experimenting with different cannabis infused gin flavours. We have met incredible contacts that we will be supplying. There are business opportunities as well as local growers that we could potentially partner with,” Collard said.
Nonhlanhla Qhoboshiyane, a hemp and cannabis farmer from Durban, who was introduced to the plants after falling ill, said she was grateful for the opportunity to be part of the informative expo.
“My interest started in 2016 when my husband and I were diagnosed with cancer. We used hemp oil and we would make cannabis leaf tea to help with the pain. These plants are from the Lord, created to bring about economic recovery in South Africa, there should be no stigma attached to them. The rural economy will grow because of hemp and cannabis,” she said.
As President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated in his 2023 State of the Nation Address, the government remains committed to unlocking investment in the hemp and cannabis sector.
During the Phakisa Action Lab gathering in June 2023, the President stated that the cannabis and hemp sector is one of 14 priority sectors with significant potential for investment, job creation, and support for sustainable rural livelihoods.
Participants at the Action Lab collectively agreed on regulatory reforms to support the development of the hemp and cannabis sector. These reforms aim to unleash the potential of cannabis in various sectors, including traditional medicine, pharmaceuticals, complementary medicines, and industrial applications.
The reforms include reviewing the schedules to the Medicines Act to enable cannabis cultivation for non-medicinal and industrial purposes. The Phakisa Action Lab also resolved to explore mechanisms for fast tracking the removal of cannabis from the Drugs Act, legalising non-medicinal cannabis cultivation under the Plant Improvement Act.
To date, the development of the hemp and cannabis industry has seen the issuance of 83 cannabis licenses, four manufacturing licenses, and 30 research permits by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) since 2022.
Additionally, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development has issued 371 hemp permits, facilitating significant investment, employment creation, technology application, intellectual property development, and exports to global markets.
As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, with Northern KwaZulu-Natal playing a pivotal role, stakeholders and the public eagerly anticipate the sector’s promising future.
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