Zim moves into cannabis pharma production
ZIMBABWE’S medicinal cannabis industry is moving from cultivation to high-value pharmaceutical manufacturing, with a new processing facility in Headlands now producing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).
The plant, operated by Ivory Medical, marks a major step in local value addition as cannabis is refined into pharmaceutical-grade inputs, reducing dependence on raw material exports.
Ivory Medical quality control manager Fortune Chagonda said the facility was designed to meet strict international standards while building a structured domestic supply chain.
“By focusing on quality-controlled extraction and refinement, we are ensuring pharmaceutical-grade standards while creating a reliable local supply chain,” he said.
“This marks a shift from simply growing cannabis to actually producing high-value pharmaceutical inputs within Zimbabwe.”
Chagonda said the company sourced biomass from licensed local farmers, allowing wider participation in the sector while maintaining strict compliance standards.
“The real value in this sector lies in processing and refinement. Cultivation is only the starting point, but the end goal is to produce APIs that meet global pharmaceutical requirements.”
He added that infrastructure investment remained the key barrier and determinant of competitiveness in the emerging industry.
“Licensing is one aspect, but the major investment is in specialised infrastructure for extraction, refinement and quality assurance. That is where long-term competitiveness is built.”
Zimbabwe legalised medicinal cannabis production in 2018 through Statutory Instrument 62, but the sector has only recently begun transitioning from policy to industrial-scale production.
Industry experts say the emergence of processing facilities can accelerate regulatory reforms, including broader licensing frameworks to expand participation.
By producing APIs locally, Zimbabwe is expected to reduce its pharmaceutical import bill and conserve foreign currency, strengthening the value chain from farm to finished medical inputs. – _*NewsDay*_
