Cannabis has been touted as the next big money-spinner in agriculture, with many farmers looking for a way to cash in on this market. Producing medical cannabis, however, presents a number of hurdles, of which infrastructural cost and operating expenditure are probably the most daunting.
Michael Holmes, CEO of medical cannabis producer Neopharm, which is currently producing its first crop, says the first phase of his company’s investment in a 400m² production and processing facility the Cape Winelands cost close to R70 million. This was a staggering 200% more than they had envisaged.
He identifies security costs as one of the biggest drivers of unforeseen expenses. “We had to fence in the facility and establish secure access control points. We invested in more than 80 security cameras and other technologies to enable the monitoring of activities in every single corner of the facility. The recorded activities are logged and stored for future reference.” Operating costs are also exorbitant. Holmes explains that cannabis not only requires the right volumes of the right nutrients at the right time, but production is also greatly influenced by climatic conditions and light.
“Production needs to be climate-controlled to ensure a repeatable, standardised, high-quality end product. This significantly increases electricity costs and forces farmers to invest in backup energy sources to alleviate the impact of load-shedding.”
Aside from this, staff need to be employed to secure the facility and oversee production long before any income is generated from the crop.
Denne historien er fra January 28, 2022-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra January 28, 2022-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
