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High returns value expected in Cannabis production can be greatly affected if proper seed is not used in production of the crop, an expert have warned.
Multinational Cannabis Ikaros Africa official Chauncy Mopho Jere in an exclusive interview with Nyasa Times says the Smart CBD Seeds Choice for growing Medical Cannabis in Malawi is so important for improved returns.
However, Jere said there is no need to panic as there is a solution on the same.
"If you are growing medical cannabis in Malawi, buying high-CBD seeds from Ikaros Africa is the smart and easy choice.
"In fact, if you want to legally grow a high-value medicinal cannabis product, it's the only choice."
Jere has cited three choices on why it is important to buy good seeds.
He said buying the wrong seeds will directly affect the quality and value of the end product and, as consequence, the value of entire business.
"Cannabis sativa or "hemp" plants contain hundreds of medicinal compounds, mostly cannabinoids and terpenes. The two most common and beneficial ones are THC and CBD.
"Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) offers great value for treating certain medical conditions like pain and chemotherapy side-effects."
Jere added: "THC is most famous for its psychoactive effect. In other words, THC gets you "high" - like local "chamba" does," he said.
Jere said CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning it doesn't cause a person to get "high".
"In fact, in the right ratio, it can limit or even prevent the psychoactivity caused by THC. CBD also has outstanding medical potential, more than any other cannabis compound. It has even been called the miracle molecule."
He said CBD seed or cannabidiol, to give it its scientific name, is world-famous for being a natural alternative to many conventional drugs and that it has shown potential to combat conditions like epilepsy, inflammation, anxiety, cancer, pain, depression, arthritis, diabetes, viruses and the list goes on.
Jere said: "High-CBD seed brings High Profitability. For cannabis growers, here's the secret: not all hemp seeds are equal. In Malawian law, hemp plants must have less than 1% THC, but the CBD limit is not specified.
"Low-CBD plants, commonly referred to as "industrial hemp," are usually grown for purposes like making textiles, protein powders and animal feed."
If your goal is to make effective medicine, you must buy high-CBD and not low-CBD seeds. Ikaros Africa sells high-CBD seeds from award-winning, international breeders."
Jere has since encouraged Cannabis farmers to go for Quality seeds since its the only secret for quality and improved production.
Cannabis, generally is prohibited for recreational use, but remains a popular drug and is produced for domestic use in Malawi and international export.
Malawi, through Cannabis Regulatory Authority recently announced that it is now ready to start commercial production and processing of cannabis for medicinal and industrial use.
Malawi's parliament passed a bill in February that makes it legal to cultivate and process cannabis for medicines and hemp fiber used in industry, but stops short of decriminalizing recreational use.
A growing number of countries around the world are either legalizing or relaxing laws on cannabis as attitudes towards the drug change.
They include several in southern Africa, including Zambia, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
allafrica.com