In Portugal, the medical cannabis industry has been expanding. According to data from Infarmed, nine licenses for manufacturing, twenty for cultivation, and twenty-seven for import/export were issued by the end of 2022.
There are currently over a hundred individuals interested in investigating the industry. 130 of the 149 entities on the waiting list at the end of the previous year possessed the “seal” of documentary aptitude, which attests to their compliance with administrative requirements.
According to Jornal de Negócios, the overwhelming majority of what is grown in this sector is exported. In 2016, Portugal began exporting cannabis, a year in which only 106 kilograms of the plant were sold abroad.
The plant’s exports have increased due to the expanding investment in this region. In 2022, 9,27 tons of cannabis were exported, an increase of 62.8% compared to the previous year.
In 2022, Germany was the primary market for Portuguese plantations (3.65 tons), followed by Spain (2.81 tons) and Israel (1.50 tons).
Portugal exported 20.38 tons of hashish over the course of the past seven years. Even though the business is in a growth phase, 2023 began with a significant divestiture. In accordance with the company’s reorganization plan, Clever Leaves has ceased operations in the country.