The Sri Lankan government plans to offer local investors the opportunity to participate in the country's cannabis cultivation project, which has so far been limited to foreign companies, Deputy Minister of Health Hansaka Wijemuni said.
He noted that only foreign investors have been selected under strict conditions by the Board of Investment (BOI) for the initial phase of the project. These investors are expected to sign memorandums of understanding (MoUs) later this year, with cultivation activities scheduled to begin next year. A total of seven companies have been approved for the project, and some have received government approval to export cannabis leaves, flowers, and other plant parts.
Despite opposition from certain groups, the government remains committed to moving forward with the project. Deputy Minister Wijemuni said the initiative would be more successful with the participation of local investors in the next phase.
The project will be implemented under special protection on a 65-acre BOI-owned land in Mirigama. Out of 37 applications, seven were selected under special conditions.
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