Tasmania’s leading producer of medicinal cannabis is currently in the middle of a significant expansion project that will enable it to produce more than three times its current crop in the coming years.
Cameras were granted access behind the security gates for a rare tour of the Tasmanian Botanics facility as the company aims to capture a larger share of the market.
Responsible for all aspects of manufacturing from the cutting stage to planting and cultivation, drying and trimming for both flower and oil products, the facility in Tasmania’s south is the largest in the state.
CEO Dan Howard says the facility currently produces around 1,000 kilograms of dried flowers annually, a number set to increase soon.
“In our new space, it’ll be about 3500 kilograms of dried flower in the greenhouse and then next summer we’re hoping to grow about 1.8 tonnes of dried flower outside,” he said.
He said the “very dry” and ‘not too hot’ conditions in Tasmania make the state an ideal spot for growing a “more affordable, accessible and pesticide free medication”.
“We want to be an affordable option for people to trade from traditional pharmaceuticals, but also we don’t want the illicit market ever to be an option for our patients”.
The company employs around 100 full-time staff members and an additional 50 seasonal workers, making it the fifth-largest operation of its kind in the country.
