Puro: Cleaner, Greener Cannabis is Growing in New Zealand

Puro, New Zealand’s largest licensed medicinal cannabis cultivator, is setting new standards in organic outdoor cannabis farming.

The company has been growing medicinal cannabis under organic guidelines at its outdoor site, Kēkerengū, in Marlborough — a region celebrated for its world-class wine industry. BioGro, the country’s largest organic certifier, has audited Puro’s medicinal cannabis cultivation and last week certified the company’s first commercial crop of high CBD and CBG plants as being ‘In Conversion’ to organic. 

This important milestone keeps Puro on track to achieve full organic status from BioGro for its medicinal cannabis production at this site in the next 18 months. 

Once full organic status is achieved, Puro will be one of the world’s first certified organic medicinal cannabis cultivators.

For managing director Tim Aldridge, the certificate recognizes and rewards two years of hard work and challenges exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. It also reinforces the company’s overall mission of growing premium medical cannabis of the highest standard that is better for patients — and the planet.

“Worldwide we are already receiving interest in our product and stimulating discussion about the way in which we are establishing our farm,” says Aldridge.

Puro’s cultivation director Tom Forrest’s intimate knowledge and understanding of pharmaceutical growing operations have been instrumental in developing Puro’s organic and regenerative approach. 

While it may have taken extra work to establish organic growing conditions, Forrest hopes that Puro’s achievements will encourage other cannabis growers to move their production practices away from a reliance on synthetic chemicals. 

“Our focus and intention is to develop an ‘organic playbook’ for cannabis that other growers in New Zealand and globally can adopt and follow,” says Forrest. “Even if we can encourage one or two other commercial growers to move away from their reliance on synthetic chemicals and sprays, then this would be a wonderful achievement for our team.”

The first commercial crop is currently being harvested and over 25 tonnes of wet flower have so far been processed at the onsite purpose-built facility. Puro’s cultivation team believes the same terroir that produces the region’s world-class wine could also produce some novel terpene and cannabinoid profiles. To that end, product testing is currently underway. 

In another significant first, Puro is working with the New Zealand Government’s international business development agency, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, to pave a pathway for exporting bulk medicinal cannabis from New Zealand. Puro is seeking international partnerships for its products.

Puro is now working to finance further developments. Last week, the company successfully closed a $2 million retail investment campaign. The funds will be used to complete development of Puro’s breeding facility in Waihopai, near Blenheim, which will sit beside its existing indoor research facility at the site and be used for seed production. It is seeking further wholesale investment of $6 million that will fund the development of Puro’s commercial glasshouses. 

For more information on Puro, including future investment opportunities, visit puro.co.nz and follow @Puro on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

This article first appeared in CannabisNow.com and is republished with permission.