New regulations coming to benefit small ganja farmers

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill has announced changes to the Cannabis Licensing Regulations that will allow community groups, comprising small ganja farmers, to cultivate up to 10 acres of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Quizzed about the challenges being faced by small players in the sector, Hill said steps are being taken to facilitate traditional cultivators, and that the Interim (Amendment) Regulations are now at the printing office.

Giving details on the latest adjustments to the regulations at the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament on Friday, Hill said a new part (11b) of the regulations would allow traditional small-scale farmers to enter the industry through an organized community group registered under the laws of Jamaica and approved by the minister to cultivate up to 10 acres of land.

“In other words, a community group could be three, five, eight, or 10 people, but you can’t cultivate more than 10 acres of land,” he said.

“We made the rule elastic enough to make it work for the community,” Hill added.

The Minister also announced that the cultivator’s licence period will be extended from one to three years.

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