Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A memorandum of cooperation on the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes was signed between the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Maltese company Melabis, the the information service of the Syrdarya regional khokimiyat said in a statement.

According to the memorandum, it is planned to implement a project to grow industrial cannabis on 3 thousand hectares of land in Sardoba district.

In the first year, it is planned to plant cannabis on 500 hectares, and in the next three years to expand the area of cultivation of this crop to 3 thousand hectares.

The climate of Central Asia is the most favorable for the cultivation of cannabis. It consumes 10 times less water than cotton. Most importantly, its cultivation is strictly for medical use only, UzA reports.

According to experts, when this plant is processed industrially and turns into a finished product, the content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in it is only 0.1-0.2 percent, which does not allow its use for other purposes and ensures full compliance with the requirements of the World Organization health care (WHO).

An initial investment of US$33 million is planned for the implementation of this project. In addition, it will also be necessary to build a high-tech plant and corresponding laboratories for processing raw materials in Syrdarya region. This, in turn, guarantees the creation of 100 new jobs.

It is envisaged that the finished products after processing will be mainly sent for export.