According to the Cannabis Regulatory Authority (CRA), there are more applications for medicinal cannabis production from companies compared to groups of farmers who are applying for industrial hemp production.

Speaking to The Nation newspaper, CRA acting registrar Ketulo Salipira said the above is good news, as there will be added value for export markets, earning the country foreign exchange. “The expectations are high out there, more so, the rainy season is advancing; hence, the CRA Board and the secretariat remain mindful of the need to speed up the process of issuing licences.” said Salipira.

Figures on gazetted regulations show that applications for licences attract a non-refundable fee of $1 000 ( about K740 000) for medicinal cannabis while a licence for industrial hemp is pegged at $500 (about K370 000). Licence fees to cultivate and sell as well as the licence to process is pegged at $10 000 (about K7.4 million) for medicinal cannabis while a licence fees to cultivate and sell industrial hemp is at $2 000 (about K1.4 million) while a licence to process industrial hemp is pegged at $5 000 (about K3.7 million).