The Green Gold of the Rif: How 1,500 Farmers Transform an Ancestral Crop Into Industrial Business

Since the law authorizing cultivation for medical and industrial purposes came into effect, harvests have shown spectacular growth. Dried cannabis production reached 2,804 quintals in 2025, compared to just 60 quintals when the sector launched in 2023. This expansion has been actively overseen by the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities (ANRAC). The agency has issued more than 1,500 authorizations, enabling 1,462 farmers, organized within 150 cooperatives, to operate a total of 1,387 hectares.

On Bladi.net : Legal Cannabis: Morocco Scales Up

The vast majority of these agricultural areas are dedicated to "Beldia," a traditional variety highly sought after abroad for the production of cosmetics and medical treatments. Mohamed El Khayati, president of the Ahl Dahssi cooperative, assures the MAP news agency that "all indicators suggest a record production for the current season." This success rests on rigorous specifications requiring meticulous soil analysis and regular monitoring of growth to certify the complete absence of toxic substances.

On Bladi.net : Morocco: A first successful legal cannabis harvest

To consolidate this momentum, professionals are now investing in local processing to generate greater revenues. Mohamed El Harfi, head of the Khayrat Senhaja cooperative which operates around fifty hectares, welcomes the recent establishment of a processing unit in the municipality of Bni Boufrah. As they approach their fourth legal season, local stakeholders are banking on these new industrial infrastructures to boost employment and export high-value finished products.