The medicinal cannabis sector has received a boost with the launch of a new grower body and an extraction facility in north Waikato. NZ Grow Co is designed to boost the cannabis industry's position as a high-value export sector.
It will provide an integrated model linking cultivation, processing, and export capability. It enables growers to participate in regulated international markets through a coordinated system, rather than operating as standalone producers.
Ora Pharm, the company behind NZ Grow Co, already has 30 cultivators. Chief executive Zoe Reece says they are getting new enquiries every week. "We have and will be expanding our satellite grower program where we get the licenses for the growers to help streamline the process for them," she told Rural News. Reece believes that the sector is now moving beyond its early, fragmented phase.
"Regulatory clarity is critical to unlocking investment and participation. What we are seeing now is the opportunity to build a more coordinated, export-focused industry that delivers real economic value."
Read more at Rural News
