South Africa’s President Charts New Path For Cannabis In Political Speech
Unlike politicians in other places, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa included cannabis in his State of the Nation address. Specifically, Ramaphosa linked cannabis initiatives to stimulating a sluggish economy.
How many in the industry (see the U.S. and Europe right now) to hear their national politicians saying something like this:
“This year we will open up and regulate the commercial use of hemp products, providing opportunities for small-scale farmers; and formulate policy on the use of cannabis products for medicinal purposes, to build this industry in line with global trends. The regulatory steps will soon be announced by the relevant ministers”.
Imagine Donald Trump saying something like this. Or on the European side, people like Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron (the presidents of Germany and France).
Sometimes you have to go to another of the world and dream about what is possible, even if not at home yet. Although in this case, South Africa is only about two years ahead of the same conversations in the “more developed West.”
The Impact Of South Africa
With strong ties both to its African neighbors and trade routes developed to the UK and Europe, South Africa is in a catbird seat to begin to pick up major export with all of the above. Competing on price, of course, with local hopefuls in Southern Europe is one thing. The African trade is another.
Understanding, however, how to import from such distant places is not without its steep learning curves – if not expensive long-distance flights. Meeting the right people and finding the right partners is the key to building a business no matter where the source and or supply chain is ultimately located.
With a shortage of medical cannabis in the room in Germany and an upping of the rules (certifications for radiation have hit the mainstream so everyone has to be cognizant of that in the medical market), foreign markets like South Africa will also increasingly be on the radar.
Source of Certified Product Counts
Understanding the rules, and knowing how to properly get certified for the European market is one big battle that everyone faces from the foreign side. Communicating market needs and trends is the other issue from the buyer side is another matter.
That is also why face-to-face contact, at one end or the other or both, is a requirement at this stage, and not an option.
For the best cannabis industry networking on the planet, be sure to book your tickets now for the International Cannabis Business Conference 4 – returning to Barcelona, Berlin and Bern as of March 2020! Check our conference schedule. Also, be sure not to miss our panels focusing on export/import.