Cannabis exports from Canada increase by 300%

While licensed producers grapple with an illegal domestic market that is still thriving, Canadian cannabis companies are taking advantage of the first-mover advantage overseas, increasing their exports by over 300 percent in the past year, according to data from Health Canada, the Mugglehead exist. But with the cost per gram being the biggest driver of sales, experts say Canada is likely to lose in the medium to long term to competitors in countries like Colombia and Uruguay, where the climates are ideal for growing and labor costs are much lower. Mainly led by the established medical markets in Israel and Germany, a total of 13,849 kilograms of dried flowers and 10,494 liters of cannabis oil were exported, an increase of 3,104 kilograms and 3,102 liters of oil in 2019 - a combined annual increase of 292 percent. When Israel announced an official plan to legalize recreational smoking, a spate of medical supplies brought in 7,933 kilograms of dried flower from Canada, but no oil. With its own established medical cannabis program, Germany imported 5,175 kilograms of Canadian dried flower and 1,321 liters of oil. Australia was the leading importer of cannabis oil, with 8,654 liters shipped from Canada but only 602 kilograms of dried flower. Malta imported 116 kilograms of dried flowers and 108 liters of oil. And the UK brought in 13 kilograms of flowers and 202 liters of cannabis oil. The only significant import of weed to Canada was just under 5 kilograms of dried flower from Jamaica via Global Canna Labs. The shipment was announced by the company in December and hailed as a significant step in the country's developing medical and scientific cannabis industry. A total of 1,340 grams of synthetic cannabis were imported into Canada - 500 grams from the UK and 840 grams from the US. This number only includes synthetic products that are regulated under the Cannabis Act.