-
Farmer receives Hemp seeds and certificate.
The Eastern Cape Province is moving forward with plans to establish itself as a hub for the cannabis industry.
Today, 26 local farmers will receive hemp seeds from the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency and sign an agreement at the Coega Special Economic Zone in Gqeberha.
These farmers will form part of the supply chain for a planned hemp flower cultivation project, targeting 10 000 hectares of land in the province over the next five years.
Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe announced that R100 million has already been invested in an indoor cannabis cultivation facility at Coega.
Kontsiwe says, “Our partners have invested in the construction of a state-of-the-art facility. As a government, our role is to ensure that local farmers, who already grow this crop in abundance in their backyards, are not left behind. We are excited to distribute hemp seeds to these farmers to enable them to be a greater part of the value chain.”
The Eastern Cape government says the initiative aims to boost local agriculture and create economic opportunities within the growing cannabis industry.
Dagga tenders in the Eastern Cape explained:
