Ruatoria primarily based Hikurangi Cannabis Company has been granted permission to domesticate sixteen new varieties of cannabis, together with a few of the primary high-THC strains 
to be imported beneath new biosecurity rules.
An modification to the company’s license was issued by the Ministry of Health 
this week. The brand new range of plants contains 5 varieties with excessive ranges 
of THC, the principle psychoactive compound present in cannabis, four high CBD,
high THC strains and seven low THC varieties. Hikurangi at present employs 20 staff 
including a crew of scientists with expertise in horticultural engineering 
and agronomy, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmaceuticals formulation and manufacturing.
After growing low-THC hemp varieties near Ruatoria since 2016, in August 
2018 the first medicinal cannabis cultivation license issued to a company was awarded to Hikurangi.
That license included solely low-THC varieties however the corporate has now 
sourced excessive THC varieties that may meet New Zealand’s strict biosecurity necessities.
Until final month the Ministry for Primary Industries couldn't enable excessive-THC cannabis strains into New Zealand as a result of the principles for importing cannabis seeds only utilized to low-THC hemp varieties.
Officials from the Ministry of Health and MPI labored together to replace the importation laws to accommodate the new business necessities and once 
notified of the modifications, Hikurangi immediately lodged 
an software to amend their license to cowl high performing strains.
Mr Caddie is travelling to Asia subsequent week to progress discussions with research and 
manufacturing partners in a area that's rapidly opening as much as 
the authorized cannabis trade. Cannabis originates 
in the Himalayan regions and indigenous communities nonetheless use it 
for conventional medicines. Hikurangi has formed a partnership 
with researchers from Nepal and India to help cannabis growing 
communities as they characterise, protect and commercialise landrace 
strains from their space.