Shimla, 25 January 2025: The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet has approved the controlled cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and industrial use, marking a significant step in utilizing the state’s agro-climatic potential.
Meeting under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in Dharamsala, the Cabinet granted its nod to a Revenue Department proposal aimed at enabling non-narcotic cannabis farming.
The Agriculture Department has been designated as the nodal agency to oversee this initiative. “The department will outline the operational framework, including standard operating procedures and species selection suitable for pharmaceutical purposes, within six months,” an official shared.
A pilot study involving Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, and Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture, Nauni, will be undertaken to support this effort.
Sources revealed that the state expects an annual revenue of Rs 500 crore from the controlled cultivation of cannabis. The project will primarily target regions like Kullu-Manali, Mandi, Chamba, Shimla, and Sirmaur, where cannabis grows naturally.
However, modifications to the NDPS Act, 1985, will be necessary before the cultivation begins.
On September 22, 2023, a committee led by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi submitted its report recommending cannabis cultivation under Sections 10 and 14 of the NDPS Act. The report, based on visits to Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, emphasized the importance of stringent regulations to prevent misuse.
“The government will create seed banks for licensed farmers and deploy excise staff for monitoring. Obtaining seeds with less than 0.3% THC content and establishing specialized labs for quality control are critical tasks,” the source added.
With several states like Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh already advancing cannabis farming for the pharmaceutical sector, Himachal’s move is expected to set a precedent for tapping into industrial and medicinal applications of cannabis.
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