Germany gets first cannabis samples from Australia, commercial import from Portugal

Germany cannabis Australia, Germany gets first cannabis samples from Australia, commercial import from Portugal

It’s a big week for Germany’s medical marijuana market, which received its first cannabis imports from Australia and Portugal.

Frankfurt-based Cansativa took delivery of medical cannabis oils for testing purposes from Western Australia-based Little Green Pharma.

Cannamedical Pharma of Cologne received a shipment of commercial medical cannabis from an unidentified Portugal company. However, Tilray Portgual announced in August it had reached an agreement to import medical cannabis to Cannamedical.

Cansativa’s shipment consisted of samples to be used only for testing, but the company said in a news release it is “an important step for commercializing Australian cannabis in Europe.”

Benedikt Sons, CEO of Cansativa, confirmed to Marijuana Business Daily that the samples, consisting of cannabis oil, arrived in Germany and will be tested in the following days.

Fleta Solomon, managing director of Little Green Pharma, also believes the shipment is an important milestone.

“It’s a proof of concept to ensure all regulatory hurdles are met,” she told MJBizDaily.

“This means we are now very close to exporting Australia’s first cannabinoid medicines for German patients whose lives will be impacted positively.”

Until now, only a handful of suppliers have exported to Germany, including Canada and the Netherlands.

Germany’s first domestic cannabis grows are underway, but the tendered quantities are not expected to be enough to cover the country’s growing demand once the first harvests take place at the end of 2020.

Cansativa announced in April it was the first German importer authorized to import cannabis samples from Colombia and Uruguay, with the product coming from Clever Leaves and Fotmer, respectively.

Sons confirmed to MJBizDaily that the samples from Uruguay already arrived and that they’re expecting the shipment from Colombia to arrive soon.

Alfredo Pascual can be reached at alfredop@mjbizdaily.com