Jamaica has the well-deserved reputation for being one of the world’s great ganja hubs. Sadly, right now, the country is reporting a shortage so dire, some are calling it the worst they’ve ever seen. The shortage is due to what amounts to a perfect storm of bad luck.
First off, there was last year’s hurricane season, which dumped tons of rain. That was followed by a drought, which started the ball rolling towards tens of thousands of dollars in losses. Add to that, the loosening of marijuana laws in the country, which – not surprisingly – led to a hike in local weed consumption. Plus, now there are less farmers growing the stuff, and coronavirus restrictions have issued strict 6pm curfews, so doing night cultivation is out the window.
Kenrick Wallace is a 29-year-old farmer who grows his weed on two acres. His inability to do his work as normal has seen his crop more than cut in half. Working with 20 other farmers, his typical yield averages out to between 700- and 800-pounds of marijuana. This year, he and his team are looking at around 300-pounds. The local vibe is that if the government, police, and farmers could get on the same page to better serve and meet the “requirements of the legal market,” it would get more farmers in the game and help Jamaica get back to doing one of the things they do best.
Source: Associated Press
