South Africa: 500 Hemp Permits Issued Across KwaZulu-Natal as Province Moves to Grow New Agricultural Industry

Newcastillian News (SA)

KwaZulu-Natal is moving to expand commercial hemp production, with 500 permits already issued across the province and a new programme launched to produce certified hemp seed locally.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development officially launched the KZN Hemp Seed Multiplication Programme at KwaMaveshe, within Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality, on Thursday, 8 October 2026.

At the same event, the province opened its 2026/27 hemp planting season.

According to the Department, 500 hemp permits have now been issued to growers across all 11 districts of KwaZulu-Natal, while district coordinators and farmers have also received training relating to the regulatory requirements surrounding hemp cultivation.

The programme is intended to address one of the practical hurdles facing farmers wanting to enter the industry: access to suitable seed.

Through the initiative, the Department plans to produce certified, low-THC hemp seed within KwaZulu-Natal. It said local production could improve access to seed, reduce costs and give farmers greater certainty over the type of material they are planting.

The move comes as South Africa continues attempting to develop a commercial hemp and cannabis value chain rather than treating cultivation solely as an agricultural exercise.

Earlier this month, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said work was underway to expand the sector from cultivation into processing, manufacturing and exports.

The dtic said the country’s strategy includes industrial hemp, medicinal cannabis, cannabidiol products and hemp-based materials used within the built environment, with government targeting annual industry growth of 10%.

For KwaZulu-Natal, this could create opportunities extending well beyond farms.

Hemp fibre can be used in clothing and textiles, paper, construction products and certain automotive applications, while hemp can also be processed for oils, animal feed, cosmetics and other products.

The KZN Agriculture Department said the province is one of three South African provinces regarded as having strong potential for hemp production.

Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa said the intention was to move participating farmers towards commercial production and open additional value chains for young people and women.

“Hemp is a multi-billion-rand industry. This is about moving our farmers from subsistence to commercial, high-value agriculture and unlocking new value chains for our youth and women,” said kaMadlopha-Mthethwa.

Importantly, the province is also attempting to address what happens after farmers have grown the crop.

According to the Department, permit holders are being connected with processors through off-take agreements, giving growers potential buyers for their produce rather than encouraging cultivation without an established market.

That commercial element mirrors the national approach.

The dtic said manufacturers and processors had begun committing to off-take opportunities as South Africa shifts its attention from the potential of the industry towards actual production and market development.

Hemp cultivation itself is not new to South Africa’s regulatory framework.

Government began opening the permit system for hemp cultivation in 2021 after hemp was declared an agricultural crop. By September 2024, Cabinet reported that 1,110 hemp cultivation permits had been issued nationally.

The regulatory environment has since changed further.

From 1 December 2025, South Africa’s new Plant Improvement Act and accompanying regulations increased the permitted THC level used to define agricultural and industrial hemp from 0.2% to 2%, according to the national Department of Agriculture.

While hemp and cannabis come from the same plant species, commercial hemp is cultivated primarily for agricultural and industrial uses and is regulated according to its THC content.

KwaZulu-Natal’s programme will now test whether the province can move beyond issuing cultivation permits and establish a functioning chain linking locally produced seed, farmers, processors and eventual markets.

One of the growers already participating is Thobekile Mbotho of Umshikilane Traders.

According to the provincial Agriculture Department, Mbotho jointly owns 50 hectares with nine other people, with five hectares already under hemp cultivation.

She said assistance from agricultural advisers had helped with the permit process and training.

Farmers interested in participating in the programme have been advised to approach their nearest KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture office, where extension officers can assist with permit applications.

With hundreds of permits already issued throughout the province, the next measure of the programme’s success will be whether those permits translate into commercially viable farms and a sustainable downstream hemp industry within KwaZulu-Natal.

https://newcastillian.com/2026/10/11/kzn-hemp-permits-industry/