The National Agency for the Regulation of Activities relating to Cannabis (ANRAC) has issued, up to April 23, some 2,905 authorizations out of 2,942 applications examined in 2024, compared to 609 authorizations in 2023, for an overall area of 2,552 HA (286 Ha in 2023).
2,737 authorizations were granted to 2,637 farmers in the regions of Taounate, Chefchaouen and Al Hoceima, for cannabis growing and producing, compared to 430 authorizations granted in 2023 and 168 authorizations to 61 operators (1 pharmaceutical company, 16 cooperatives, 37 companies and 7 individuals), according to ANRAC.
The 168 authorizations granted to operators, which are in addition to the 179 issued in 2023, are distributed between 48 authorizations for industrial purposes, one for the processing activity for medical purposes, 45 for the marketing activity, 39 for export purposes, 7 for seed import purposes and 28 for transport activity, the same source pointed out.
ANRAC reported the granting by the National Food Safety Office (ONSSA) of 73 authorizations to use Beldia seed for an area of 1,262 Ha in favor of 73 production cooperatives (1,225 farmers) and 11 import authorizations for an area of 286 Ha for 22 production cooperatives (285 farmers).
As of April 23, the areas sown with cannabis in Taounate, Chefchaouen and Al Houceima amounted to 757 Ha for Beldia seed (903 farmers), the Agency noted, adding that 42 cannabis products were manufactured from legal production of 2023, and submitted for registration to the Medicines and Pharmacy Directorate (DMP) of the Health Ministry by three operators and a processing cooperative.
These include 11 cosmetic and personal hygiene products and 31 food supplement products.
Up to April 23, the Health Ministry issued 7 registration certificates, two on food supplements (herbal teas) and five cosmetic and personal hygiene products, knowing that the other products which are currently examined by DMP, will soon benefit from registration certificates, the same source noted.
An operator and a cooperative have exported, up to April 23, 65.5 kg of cannabis products to Switzerland (55.5 kg of CBD resin with a THC content of less than 1% and 10 kg of cannabis flowers with a THC content of less than 0.3%).
Another export operation of 30 kg of CBD resin with THC less than 1% is in the final stages of finalizing the export procedure, according to ANRAC.
Created under the provisions of Law No. 13-21 on the licit uses of cannabis, ANRAC is responsible for the implementation of the State Strategy in the field of cultivation, production, manufacturing, transformation, and commercialization, export of cannabis and import of its products for medical, pharmaceutical and industrial purposes.
