The industrial cannabis sector in Paraguay has expanded to Eastern Europe. According to Marcelo Demp, president of the Paraguayan Chamber of Industrial Cannabis (CCIP), the entire premium cannabis flower production planned for 2024 has been purchased by the European market.
This international agreement resulted from a process that began earlier this year when a shipment of cannabis flowers was sent as a sample to Europe. The quality of the product was crucial for its acceptance, prompting European entrepreneurs to visit Paraguay. During their stay, they confirmed the purchase and offered advanced technology to improve the preservation and transportation of the flowers.
The plantations supplying this agreement are in areas such as Areguá, Nueva Italia, Iruña, and Hernandarias.
Although the total production volume cannot yet be precisely determined due to variability in crop yields, a minimum production of 5 tons per hectare is estimated, potentially generating revenues of approximately $25,000 per hectare.
Despite this success, Demp noted that the current production is not sufficient to meet the growing European demand, leading the CCIP to seek new producers interested in joining the industrial cannabis cultivation. The goal is to increase productive capacity and solidify Paraguay's position in this expanding global sector.
Since the approval of industrial cannabis legislation in 2019, Paraguay has exported more than 600 tons of products and raw materials to various international destinations in just a few years. Additionally, the sector has diversified its offerings, including derivative products such as gummies and infusions.
Source: Paraguayan Government.