Associate Health Minister David Seymour. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
Medicinal cannabis exporters are able to move New Zealand product overseas faster with export license processing times reducing by almost four days.
The average time it took to get an export licence had been 10 working days but since the start of this year it’s been cut on average to 6.4 working days.
Associate Health Minister David Seymour said New Zealand companies were becoming more reliable trading partners overseas as a result.
Exporting of the cannabis flower has increased significantly with just 49 kilograms moved offshore in 2021, compared to 2310 kilograms last year.
Applications for an export licence and average processing times:
File photo. Crop grown for medicinal cannabis. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
A licence is required for every shipment of medicinal cannabis exported from New Zealand.
“The government is also looking at giving exporters more permanent licences to reduce red tape and bureaucracy,” Seymour said.
“Vendors are required to hold a medicinal cannabis licence, and must also apply to Medsafe for a controlled drug export licence for each shipment. Officials have said there may be an option to consider a broader or enduring export licence across multiple consignments.”
Seymour said Medsafe was also making it easier for growers of low-THC hemp to operate in New Zealand.
“Medicinal cannabis cultivators will soon be able to grow low THC plants without a licence, allowing more of the plant to be used to make medicinal cannabis products,” he said.
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The cannabis company says the current regulatory environment has made it “very challenging for manufacturers to operate sustainably at scale”.
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