Uruguay Exports 1000 Pounds of Cannabis To Switzerland, Announces New Industry Measures

Uruguay recently completed several cannabis shipments to Europe that helped cement its position as a global cannabis exporter.

The events were crowned by a public statement given Monday by president Luis Lacalle Pou, in which he underlined how important the crop is to the country’s economy.

New Measures For The Cannabis Industry

Pou touted the country’s cannabis production as more advanced when compared to other nations.

“Uruguay will lead the way and with that in mind, tomorrow I’m signing in two new measures that’ll help boost medicinal cannabis exports,” he said.

With a population of 3.5 million and a land area just over the size of Florida, the South-American nation became an international laboratory for legal cannabis with the passage of a 2013 bill that regulated the production and commercialization of adult-use cannabis.

The same act legalized home cultivation and “cannabis clubs,” as well as a nationwide program to produce and sell medicinal and recreational cannabis in local pharmacies.

Lacalle Pou added that he believes that the new measures will assist in the development of certain areas in the country that are suffering from economic downturns.

Specific details of the measures mentioned have not yet been released by official sources.

Multiple Exports to Switzerland 

On Friday, July 31, Uruguayan cannabis company UCAN (Cannabis Uruguay Ltda.) announced the completion of its first shipment of 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of dried cannabis flowers to Switzerland.

The cannabis imported by the European country is a low-THC/high-CBD cultivar, with less than 1% THC and over 14% CBD. 

According to an interview conducted by Hemp Industry Daily, the company plans to export another 200 kilograms to Switzerland next week.

The shipment went through Germany and arrived successfully at Zurich on Sunday. According to the company, this is the first international cannabis shipment from Uruguay done with blockchain track-and-trace technology to ensure the quality of the product.

UCAN spokesman Eduardo Blasina told Benzinga that the blockchain technology is applied through a mobile app that growers use to register every step of the plants’ growth.

“This is a significant change for a crop that has medicinal value and gives consumers full guarantees,” said Blasina.

On July 24, CPLANT — another cannabis company from Uruguay — completed shipments to Switzerland of 442 kilograms (972 pounds) of low-THC flower.

The products were sold at an average price of $185 per kilogram.

According to the company, between July and August of this year, CPLANT will complete exports of 14 metric tons of low-THC cannabis flower and hemp biomass to Europe.

The products come from CPLANT’s own crops as well as from independent farmers that work with the company.

“Thanks to the outstanding new administration, Uruguay managed to untangle complex regulations that affect the cannabis and hemp industries, allowing the country to become a main exporter of high quality products,” said CEO Lucas Crivilone.

Picture by Javier Hasse.