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 The country legalised the growth of cannabis for medicinal purposes
in 2016, joining a growing number of countries to have done so or be
about to do so, such as Britain, Greece, Thailand and some U.S.
states.
"This is a very profitable business, which does not require a lot of
hard work and has a future," Ivanovski told Reuters standing by a
large cannabis plant in his greenhouse in Stip, south east of the
capital Skopje.
Since 2017, North Macedonia has issued 28 licences for growth and
production of cannabis oil and another 15 companies are waiting for
permits. But so far very little has been produced and no exports
have been made as producers hone their skills.
Ivanovski, who invested 10 million euros in buying land and
technology, says achieving the required quality is the main
challenge. He aims one day to export to Germany and Poland and will
need to meet international standards.
Skopje is also changing the law to allow exports of cannabis flower.
"We expect the cannabis industry could generate as much as one
percent of national output," Venko Filipce, the country's health
minister told Reuters.
North Macedonia is one Europe's poorest countries. Agriculture
accounts for nearly eight percent of its national output, and ten
percent of exports.
SECURITY
The government has ordered that a four metre-high wire fence topped
with cameras must surround cannabis crops, which are also watched by
security guards. Plants are indoors - either in halls or
greenhouses.
"People thought it would be easy money and have invested in growing
cannabis. But later they realised that the technology is costly and
that expensive certificates are required," said Konstantin Dukovski
of the Association of Producers.
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To promote the industry Prime Minister Zoran Zaev met with a U.S.
businessman Michael Straumietis, who founded a company, Advanced
Nutrients, specialising in nutrients for plants.
"Let me tell you, this country has huge potential, and I'm excited
to be a part of turning Macedonia into one of Europe's first
Cannabis Superpowers," Straumietis wrote on Instagram.
One North Macedonian cannabis producer, NYSK, is growing cannabis in
the halls of an old chemical plant outside Skopje.
The air, water and soil all needed to be purified so the plants
could be grown in sterile conditions and produce a medicine-grade
crop.
"The industry is very specific, it has many secrets," Sasho
Sefanoski, chief operating officer of NYSK said. "Macedonia is good
(to invest in) because resources are not as expensive as in other
countries."
According to a report by Imarc, the global medical cannabis market
could rise in value to $44 billion by 2024, from an estimated $13.4
billion in 2018.
Goran Andreski, a mechanical engineer bought land and is trying to
set up production.
"People rushed in to invest because there is a long tradition of
agriculture, but this business has nothing to do with agriculture,
it is more pharmaceutical," he said.
"The only guideline we got from the government is how tall the fence
should be, everything else we have to figure out ourselves."
(Additional reporting Kole Casule; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
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