For Immediate Release:
Bogota, Colombia, October 28, 2019: In some country word association, “oil” triggers a response of “Saudi Arabia.” How about “cannabis?” Probably “Canada.” While fair, arguably the response one day soon will be “Colombia.”
There are 18 countries worldwide that allow the import and export of medical marijuana products. Canada is the most widely known, but the fact is that Colombia is the name investors should be talking about. Situated in the northern tip of South America, the republic has an ideal climate, geography and regulatory support after the passage of legislation in 2015 reversed decades of drug-fueled violence into an industry that has now seen over $600 million in investment in the burgeoning legal medical cannabis industry.
As the global worldwide marijuana market grows by leaps and bounds, Canadian companies like Canopy Growth are the talk of the space as the world’s biggest cannabis companies. The fact remains that Colombia’s vertically integrated Clever Leaves is already cultivating an impressive 540,000 square feet of cannabis in the first phase of a facility that will reach 1.5 million square feet. Earlier this year, Clever Leaves garnered all necessary approvals and made the first export of dried cannabis flower to…Canada.
The takeaway? Colombia is quietly becoming a global heavyweight in the legal cannabis industry. It is with good reason that Las Vegas-based One World Pharma (OTC: OWPC) got in front of the movement and started planting crops last year in the Colombian cannabis hub of Popayan.
Excellent Location
Colombia’s reputation for premium cannabis precedes it, albeit of the black market variety. With medical cannabis now legal, the quality does not change but the country’s reputation does. This change in perception is in lockstep with the broader arc of the changing medical marijuana narrative, fueled by the increased education on the therapeutic merits of the plant to treat everything from dry skin to epileptic seizures to chronic pain.
Because of its position in relation to the equator, the climate is ideal and stable. Colombia sees about 12 hours of sunshine daily year-round and maintains an average temperature around 66 degrees Fahrenheit. Even rainfall is nearly perfect with the chance of showers in the range of 65-72% every day accompanied by light breezes. The country even boasts volcanic soil which is advantageous for growing plants. As the coffee bean capital of the world (not to mention being an acclaimed producer of flowers), Colombia’s international export routes are already well established.
The weather, soil and infrastructure, inclusive of a workforce skilled in agriculture, helps keep production cost substantially lower. According to Colombia Cannabis Investor editor Mat Youkee, dried flower cannabis can be produced in Colombia for about $0.50-$0.80 per gram versus about $2.00 per gram in the U.S.
The Colombian government recently estimated that medical cannabis could end up comprising the country’s third largest export market. “It’s possible to be a very important player at an international level in terms of exports. The estimates show we could effectively be at the level of $6 billion annually,” commerce vice minister Saul Pineda told attendees at the country’s first annual cannabis conference.
Socially Responsible
Community is a big part of One World Pharma’s business model. Operations have been sculpted to the indigenous agricultural approach of Colombians. The dedication to this culture is emphasized in a corporate video that speaks to the naming of the company based upon a mission to unite people globally through cannabis. “A fundamental root in all this process lies with the native people. Their knowledge is incredible, its transcendence through time. Managing all these types of processes has opened our eyes to different techniques, to knowledge,” commented Verona Serna, OWPC Marketing Director.
For the locals, they are excited about the opportunity to integrate their indigenous medicines with Western medicine to save lives. While money is always a component of business, the mantra includes social intervention with the indigenous people to allow them to work in the countryside they love while growing financially stronger to support their own families and communities.
A testament to the commitment to work with indigenous peoples, One World Pharma has recently struck partnerships with the WALA POPAYAN Co-operative, a highly skilled agrarian community in the Colombian Andes, to collaborate in the cultivation and refinement of hemp-derived ingredients; and Colombia’s Misak tribe for the cultivation, purchase and sale of non-psychoactive cannabis and hemp for medicinal and scientific research applications.
Lending further credence to its local efforts, One World Pharma has strong relationships with Colombia’s Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agricultural Institute and National Anti-Narcotics Authority.
Established. Planned. Executing.
One World has worked diligently to develop a holistic business model that is socially responsible while meeting demand for quality products based on scientific expertise. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, One World Pharma S.A.S., the company has local and export licenses covering genetic and seed registration as well as one for international distribution. On the cultivation front, One World Pharma holds licenses for growing psychoactive high THC, psychoactive low THC and high CBD and hemp. Rounding out its license portfolio, the company has local and export licenses covering extractions and derivatives of crude, distillates and isolates, meaning that, in aggregate, the company can run the gamut with regards to production and distribution of products worldwide where legal.
OWP checks all the boxes for producing pharmaceutical-grade products too, as evidenced by GMP, EU certification and ISO testing.
Operations commenced last year on a 200 acre property that is primed for expansion. Employing its proprietary micropropagation techniques that produce genetically stable plants, the company is targeting raw production output of 1 million pounds annually. Processing, utilizing the company’s proprietary technology, is conducted at its soon to be completed 680 square-meter facility on the property.
Put it all together, and One World Pharma presents a compelling picture of an established company in an emerging and crucial market. With a focus on working locally while simultaneously eyeing global cannabis opportunities, One World has placed itself on opportunity’s doorstep. Stay tuned as the company continues to execute on its ambitious plans.
http://www.secfilings.com/news/colombia-aims-to-become-to-cannabis-what-saudi-arabia-is-to-oil-32/