Maintenance

Colombia will export its medicinal cannabis to Europe

Andres Felipe Botero, Operations Director of Pharmacielo.

© RFI/Najet Benrabaa

Text by: Najet Benrabaa Follow

4 mins

Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Israel and Mexico can now receive Colombian medical cannabis in all its forms, from plant extracts to dried flower.

Since April 1, 2022, the Colombian government has confirmed the authorization to sell cannabis flower and derivative products abroad.

It's a way to strengthen Colombia's position in the growing medical cannabis industry around the world.

Advertising

Read more

from our correspondent in Medellin,

Some 80 companies are ready to ship their products.

Among them, Pharmacielo, a Colombian-Canadian company based in Rionegro near Medellin.

This company has 12 hectares of greenhouses.

It will sell its products in 13 countries.

We spoke with Andrès Felipe Botero, Pharmacielo's Director of Operations.

RFI

Andres Felipe Botero

It's a market opening.

In 2019, the medical cannabis industry was in its infancy.

We were only talking about CBD (cannabidiol) crystals.

Today, we offer several products with CBD, and several products with THC (psychoactive compound of cannabis).

We are also developing distilled THC products, diluted forms to allow transport to new markets that will only have to package it and sell it.

We are also developing water-soluble cannabis drops, so-called phytotherapy products.

For those who don't know, when we talk about CBD or THC, we make the difference between a cannabinoid (that is to say a component of cannabis) without psychotropic effect and the other with effect?

That's right.

The use of both is possible.

Each has different medical effects.

We even have products that combine them for better efficiency.

Where will all these products be sold?

Europe is one of our strongest markets with Germany being the leader in the field.

Then Israel and Australia.

We also see interest in Portugal, Spain, Poland and the Czech Republic.

New rules are being established to enable market regulation in Europe.

In Germany, for example, we can already sell CBD products for the pharmaceutical industry, for the cosmetics sector and whole dried cannabis flower.

It is estimated that sales on the German market will reach around 12 to 15 tons per year.

This is our priority right now.

Today, 97-98% of our market is export.

But we are developing Colombian companies.

When the production of medical cannabis was authorized in 2016 in Colombia, the fear of many people was that we would go as far as legalizing the recreational use of cannabis.

What about today ?

Is it still a fear or a new market that is preparing?

We could be present in both markets.

But obviously, we depend on the laws and regulations of each country, each client but also Colombian laws.

Today, we offer the medical cannabis flower that will be sold by pharmacies and dispensaries in Europe.

I couldn't tell you if we are moving towards regulating the recreational use of cannabis.

I think the world is changing, but I don't know how fast.

Why is Colombian medical cannabis interesting for these new markets?

What are its characteristics ?

It has two factors.

First of all, the resistance of the Colombian varieties in terms of aroma and the fight against diseases that can affect the plant.

Then there is the competitive cost of production.

Our costs are lower than other countries which have to follow the seasons.

Colombia can produce up to four cycles of plants.

You don't need big infrastructure or lamps, because the natural conditions are favorable for the production of cannabis at a lower cost: 12 hours of sun and 12 hours of darkness.

While the seasons require more equipment as in Canada or elsewhere.

Costs can be reduced by more than 50 or 70%.

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_EN

• Colombia

• Health and medicine

• Dope

• our selection