Casablanca – Morocco’s regulated cannabis sector continued to gain momentum in 2025, marking a new phase in the development of this activity following its integration into a formal legal framework. Available data indicate that the sector has moved beyond its initial stage and is now generating measurable results in terms of production, investment, and the emergence of new economic dynamics, particularly in rural and mountainous regions.

At the national level, total production of dried cannabis reached about 19,576 quintals in 2025, compared with 18,810 quintals in 2024, reflecting steady and gradual growth. This expansion has been supported by an increase in cultivated areas, improved organization of production chains, and a rising number of participants across the sector.

The licensing system has also expanded significantly. During 2025, authorities issued 4,147 new permits, bringing the total number of active licenses to 5,765. Cultivation accounts for nearly 99% of these licenses, benefiting more than 5,300 farmers, while the remaining permits cover processing, marketing, and export activities.

This growth reflects a broader shift among farmers, who are increasingly choosing to operate within the formal economy. The introduction of pre-arranged purchase contracts—defining pricing and sales conditions—has helped stabilize transactions and strengthen trust between producers and industrial operators.

Regional momentum led by Chefchaouen, Taounate, and Al Hoceima

At the regional level, the provinces of Chefchaouen and Taounate illustrate the scale of this transformation. In Chefchaouen, production rose to 8,779 quintals in 2025, compared with 5,690 quintals in 2024 and just 460 quintals in 2023, the first year of legal cultivation.

This increase is linked to the expansion of cultivated land, which reached 1,347 hectares, as well as growing farmer participation. More than 1,400 farmers are now organized into 104 cooperatives, supported by outreach campaigns and technical guidance that have strengthened confidence in the legal framework.

In Taounate, production also increased sharply, rising from around 940 quintals in 2023 to approximately 7,993 quintals in 2025. The sector now involves 2,453 farmers cultivating nearly 2,031 hectares, reflecting both accelerated structuring and increased investment.

A similar trend has been observed in the province of Al Hoceima, where the legal cannabis sector has expanded rapidly over a short period. Production reached 2,804 quintals in 2025, compared with 1,900 quintals in 2024 and only 60 quintals in 2023, marking a strong acceleration since the sector’s effective launch. The harvested area totaled 844 hectares, including a majority planted with the local “Beldiya” variety, and involved more than 1,300 farmers organized into nearly 140 cooperatives.

The broader cultivation footprint in Al Hoceima extended to approximately 1,387 hectares, benefiting over 1,460 farmers grouped into around 150 cooperatives. This expansion has been supported by extensive field outreach, including dozens of coordination meetings and technical supervision programs, as well as the issuance of more than 1,500 licenses for farmers in the province.

Local stakeholders report that technical support and supervision have helped address operational and marketing challenges, while early indicators suggest that the current agricultural season could achieve record output. Demand for cannabis-derived products—particularly in medical and cosmetic applications—continues to support optimism among producers regarding future revenues.

In all three provinces, the local “Beldia” variety dominates cultivation due to its adaptability to local climate conditions, lower water requirements, and resilience compared to imported strains.

Strengthening processing and industrial value chains

Beyond agricultural production, the sector has made notable progress in industrial processing. Five processing units are now operational, with a combined capacity of about 560 tons, while additional facilities are under construction.

This dynamic is also reflected at the local level. In Al Hoceima, new processing infrastructure has been developed with institutional support, contributing to the emergence of an integrated value chain that connects cultivation with industrial transformation. These initiatives aim to enhance local industrial capacity, encourage investment, and create employment opportunities in rural areas.

At the national scale, these units play a central role in transforming cannabis into higher value-added products, including cosmetics, food supplements, and pharmaceutical items. In 2025 alone, 110 new products were registered, bringing the total number of available products on the market to 141.

Efforts to streamline administrative procedures have also supported this growth. The time required to register products with the national medicines authority has been reduced from 18 months to just two months, encouraging investors to accelerate product development and market entry.

Some industrial operators are adopting advanced extraction technologies, such as supercritical CO₂ processes, enabling the production of high-purity extracts exceeding 99%, which enhances the competitiveness of Moroccan products.

Market expansion and international outreach

On the commercial side, cannabis-derived products are now available in more than 600 licensed retail outlets across Morocco, reflecting a growing domestic distribution network.

At the same time, Moroccan products have begun to enter international markets, including several European countries, as well as Australia and South Africa. The recent export of cannabis-derived active compounds marks a new phase in the sector’s evolution toward higher value exports.

Industry stakeholders are also exploring opportunities to expand into additional markets, including the United States, which could further strengthen the sector’s contribution to economic development.

Strict oversight to ensure sustainability

Alongside this expansion, authorities have maintained strict regulatory oversight. More than 7,500 inspection operations were carried out in 2025, leading to the withdrawal of some licenses and the issuance of warnings to operators who failed to comply with legal requirements.

This regulatory approach aims to preserve the sector’s credibility and ensure its long-term sustainability by enforcing compliance and preventing deviations from the legal framework.

A growing driver of rural development

Legal cannabis is emerging as a significant driver of development, particularly in regions with limited economic alternatives. The sector has contributed to improving farmers’ incomes, creating both seasonal and permanent jobs, and encouraging investment in local processing industries.

With continued progress in structuring production chains, expanding industrial capacity, and accessing international markets, Morocco’s legal cannabis sector is positioning itself as an increasingly important component of the national economy, built on regulation, value addition, and sustainable development.