A ‘cultivation’ activity is required to:
- cultivate cannabis for use in a medicinal cannabis product
- cultivate and supply seeds/plants to another cultivator or appropriate medicinal cannabis licence holder
- cultivate starting material for export by a licensed supplier, or
- undertake research involving cultivation (for example, research into breeding cultivars with specific characteristics).
Importing seeds
If you hold a medicinal cannabis licence with a ‘cultivation’ activity you may import cannabis seeds for the purposes of cultivation from a country that allows export under an export licence. You will also need to apply for a controlled drug import licence for each consignment of seed.
The imported seeds must also meet the specifications of MPI Import Health Standard IHS 155.02.05.
Cannabis plants or tissue may not be imported for cultivation at this time due to biosecurity restrictions.
Illicit seeds and plants
If you hold a medicinal cannabis licence with a ‘cultivation’ activity you may bring varieties of cannabis already established in New Zealand into the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme by making a declaration and paying the fee of $747.50 (including GST).
You may declare up to 20 plants AND 50 seeds on a single declaration. There is no limit to the number of declarations that can be made, provided the fee is paid for each declaration.
Supplying seeds or plant material to another licence holder
A licence with a ‘cultivation’ activity allows you to supply cannabis seeds (act as a seed merchant) or clones for cultivation to another licence holder if their licence also allows a ‘cultivation’ activity.
You may supply seeds to a holder of a licence with a nursery activity, or plant material to a holder of a licence with a supply activity.
You may also supply seeds or plant material to another licence holder for the manufacture of medicinal cannabis products if their licence allows a ‘possess for manufacture’ activity. You will need to retain evidence of the agreement between you and the manufacturer.
Cultivating cannabis and manufacturing medicinal cannabis products
If you wish to both cultivate cannabis and manufacture a medicinal cannabis product, you will need to apply for both the ‘cultivation’ and 'possession for manufacture' activities.
You will also need to apply for a licence to manufacture medicines (under the Medicines Act 1981) before products can be supplied.
Undertaking research involving cultivation
A licence with a ‘cultivation’ activity allows you to cultivate cannabis for cultivation research (plant breeding).
However, the ‘cultivation’ activity does not allow you to supply cannabis to a person who is a research subject in a clinical trial. This is covered by the research activity.
You will also require a ‘possession for manufacture’ activity if you will be extracting cannabinoids as part of the plant breeding research.