World News - October 2021

 

Zimbabwe is Exporting

Zimbabwe - Reported this September, The Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency or ZIDA, issued 57 cannabis cultivation licenses. According to The Consumer, “Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube estimates that, with international partners, local growers can produce $40 million to $46 million worth of cannabis a month.” “We have licensed 57 investors for medicinal cannabis production from Germany, Switzerland, Canada, and as well some local players,” ZIDA said. “Companies have been licensed for cultivation and processing of medicinal cannabis and they own 100% of their investment.”

According to Ncube the 20 percent tax applied to the extracts, cannabis flowers, and oils will generate “immense potential” for tax revenues with a projected 1.25 billion cannabis sales this year.

Marijuana farms and trade is allowed for medicinal reasons and research, though recreational use is illegal with 12 years in jail punishment.

The whole article can be read at https://marijuanapackaging.com/blogs/marijuana-legalization/zimbabwe-banking-on-predicted-economic-growth-from-new-cannabis-licenses

Brazil Might Grow Big

Brazil - Reported by Reuters in August. a town in Southeast Brazil there is research to develop a hemp which will grow well in the tropics. If there is success and the laws change in the country, Brazil could become a large grower of marijuana and hemp. Brazil could possibly take over the largest hemp grower of the world which is China. Dennys Zsolt, an agronomist who specializes in marijuana said, “Using a part of Brazil’s agricultural land would be enough to give the country the title of world’s largest producer and exporter of hemp fibers, seeds and flowers for medicinal and industrial purposes.”

The warm temperatures and consistent sunlight add to a low cost to grow pot outdoors in the country.

The laws for growing in Brazil may be changing to make the country a frontrunner in the growing business. As of today, growing Cannabis sativa L is not allowed in the country.

According to Reuter, “A proposal that would legalize cultivation was approved in June by a congressional committee. Lawmakers are weighing if it could be fast-tracked to the Senate for approval. If passed there, President Jair Bolsonaro would have to sign it into law.” You can go to https://www.reuters.com/business/cannabis-firms-catch-whiff-opportunity-brazil-2021-08-20/ to read the full article.

Germany the New Amsterdam?

Germany - There is a large medical cannabis program that has been growing in Germany in the past few years. For the past four years registered doctors in the country have been given the right to recommend medical cannabis to purchase at pharmacies.

There is no country in Europe as of today that has legalized adult-use recreational marijuana. According to a recent Green Entrepreneur article “The Netherlands has pilot programs underway for adult-use cannabis, Switzerland already allows low-THC products to be sold legally across the country, and a Supreme Court decision in Italy has already determined cannabis prohibition to be unconstitutional.” https://www.greenentrepreneur.com/article/378945

Germany has a large economy and for them to begin investing in cannabis early would help the current economy to remain stable and/or grow.

A Yahoo Finance article published in September stated that according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, marijuana use in Germany,  “is at an all-time high.” https://finance.yahoo.com/finance/news/elections-germany-cannabis-where-does-

With elections occurring in Germany the talk of legalizing has become a campaign issue, and not a small one. Two parties on the campaign trail are in favor of some form of legalization. Germany’s political system is multi-party.

Yahoo Finance states that legalization may be possible in four years.

Save the Pot

World - Climate change is the current discussion. How to address environmental changes may become a consistent conversation. The wildfires, as well as the high index temperatures, and the dangers of the smoke from the fires in the West United States and Canada have been a part of the recent conversations.

British Columbia cannabis cultivator SpeakEasy Cannabis Club said,  “its 2021 outdoor crop survived this year’s heatwave and wildfires “relatively unscathed,” with help from a hard-working irrigation system, fire preparation measures and some luck.” https://mjbizdaily.com/bc-grower-speakeasys-outdoor-cannabis-crop-relatively-unscathed-by-heat-wildfires/

Creating a strong irrigation system, as well as using water from an aquifer which helps when there were times of water restrictions,  helped beat the heat for The Rock Creek, a British Colombia-based company according to MJBiz Canada.

Ways that SpeakEasy helped to protect themselves from the threat of fires were to have water tanks and pumps, and back-up generators available, to have steel buildings, fire breaks cut into the nearby forest, as well to have a trained crew ready.

The Consumer listed recommendations for fire prevention according to CalFire:

• Clear a 100 feet “defensible space” around all structures, including combustible materials leaning against or under the house.

• Trim and prune tree limbs and branches to at least five feet above ground to break the “fire ladder” of combustible material. Trim higher the closer they are to structures.

• Clean out gutters regularly.

• Mow your grassy areas, preferably in late spring, but if you do it later be careful of sparks from the mower blades. Or bring in goats to eat your grasses.

• Have water hoses at hand.

• Keep numerous fire extinguishers charged up to date, at least one per structure.

• Make sure the address numbers to the property are large and posted at every turnoff along entrance roads, so firefighters can find your place.

• Have emergency evacuation essentials packed, including animal carriers.

• Have a plan for farm animals.