New service helps UK farmers export medicinal cannabis

Crop17 aims to help farmers grow and export the crop for medicinal use to countries where it is widely available
Crop17 aims to help farmers grow and export the crop for medicinal use to countries where it is widely available

A new service has launched offering advice and guidance for British farmers looking to grow and export medicinal cannabis.

Crop17 is a joint venture launched by property consultants Savills, Hanway Associates and greenhouse builder CambridgeHOK.

It describes itself as a turnkey solution for those looking to build and operate cannabis facilities in the United Kingdom.

It offers advice on land suitability for the crop, equipment and the legality of growing the plant in the UK, where it is classed as a Class B drug.

The venture aims to help farmers grow and export the crop for medicinal use to countries where it is widely available.

Speaking to ITV News, Alex Bragg, a director at Savills, explained: “The UK agriculture sector is embarking upon a period of unprecedented change.

“A phasing out of subsidies, a new dawn for trade, adapting to meet climate change targets and a huge growth in agtech presents the industry with huge challenges and opportunities.

“For the forward thinking and innovative farmer and grower adapting into new markets is a key priority. This turnkey solution is the type of innovation we expect to see more of within UK agriculture.”

The legal cannabis industry generated revenues to the tune of £11.5 billion in 2019 and is forecast to grow to £35 billion by 2024, BDS Analytics says.