Which Countries Lead in Global Cannabis Exports?

Let’s check which are some of the top countries that lead in global cannabis exports, and the challenges they face in terms of competition, market growth, regulation or else.

Canada

Following its full-fledged legalization in 2018, Canada has emerged as the top cannabis-exporting country in North America. Things were destined for good already in the first year of legalization, when the Canadian market generated almost $15 million in revenues for 2019, and the numbers have been steadily growing ever since. Canada exported almost 68 tons of dried cannabis internationally in the first half of 2024, while 79.3 tons were shipped throughout 2023. Canada is also a top exporter of cannabis oil for medicinal purposes. In the first half of 2024 the Great White North shipped roughly 2,800 gallons of cannabis oil, while in 2023 it was around 1870 gallons. 

Cannabis exports bring Canada more than $200 million every year, with Tilray being one of its most recognized brands. Australia, Germany, Israel, Argentina, the U.K. and the U.S. are the top five countries where Canadian companies are exporting cannabis to, with Australia and Israel being the primary recipients of Canadian medical-grade weed. Canada is facing serious competition from Mexico, which legalized cannabis in 2021 and its budding industry keeps on growing. Add here the United States should its market continue to open up internationally. 

The United Kingdom

The U.K. is one of the world’s biggest producers and exporters of legal cannabis for medicinal and scientific uses. The U.K. has dominated cannabis exports for many years - in 2021 alone it contributed to 43% of all global production. That year, the U.K. produced a total of 329 tons of cannabis for science and medicine, according to the International Narcotics Council Board. However, the main problem with the U.K. production, paradoxically, has been the consistent lack of cannabis medicines at home. Although cannabis is supposed to be accessed through the NHS for certain conditions such as rare epilepsies in children, a lot of families seek cannabis preparations in other countries overseas, such as in the Netherlands. 

Morocco 

Morocco is the largest producer of marijuana at the global level, according to the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime). Most of Morocco’s cannabis and hashish production traditionally takes place in the mountainous Rif region in the country’s north. Since 2021, the Moroccan government is overseeing the cultivation of medicinal and industrial cannabis, which has caused a rift with local criminal networks and farmers who work for them. 

Morocco exports around 20% of all the hashish produced worldwide, according to World Atlas. That is around 40,000 tons of hashish each year, for a value which reaches up to 10% of the total GDP of the Maghreb country. More than one million people living in the Rif region depend on cannabis incomes, according to sources. In the next stage of strengthening its legal cannabis sector, Morocco should increase exports to European countries. In 2024, the North African country already sent its first shipments of cannabis to Switzerland. Future cannabis exports to Europe are expected to bring Morocco more than $500 million on an annual basis. 

Paraguay 

In February 2025, Paraguay completed its first legal shipment of 100% Paraguayan industrial cannabis flower, known as Kuñatai, to Europe. Paraguay’s cannabis market revenue is projected to reach $33.94 million by the end of this year. Another interesting fact is that this country is the world’s biggest manufacturer of cannabis concentrates. It exports concentrate products to the rest of South America, albeit at a very low price. It concerns lower-quality production, which usually contains impurities or gets contaminated during transport. Sometimes the freshly pressed flower product is treated with various chemicals to subdue the smell. Paraguay is also exporting overseas to the USA, Canada and Australia. 

India 

Cannabis has been illegal in India since 1985, however, the Asian country is the world’s biggest consumer of the green herb and also the world’s largest manufacturer of charas - a type of hashish obtained by rubbing plant material with bare hands. Charas is sold to travelers coming to India and it’s also exported to markets overseas. The Netherlands is a regular receiver of charas from India. Charas and other hashish products are often more expensive than resin concentrates produced through sifting, as this is a more coveted form of hash. It is estimated that around 5% of the total hashish output in the world originates from India - the country that poses to be the biggest competitor to Moroccan hashish right after Afghanistan. 

Lebanon

In Lebanon, revenue from cannabis is estimated to hit $25.85 million in 2025, according to Statista. The country’s legislators have pushed ahead regulation for medical cannabis, opening up the country to foreign investments and international trade. The Middle East country has a perfect climate for cultivating high-quality cultivars, as well as rich heritage with some much-desired domestic landraces. Lebanon contributes 6% of the global hashish production. Cannabis exports and investments are expected to help Lebanon with the macroeconomic factor, since it struggles with high unemployment and a crippling agricultural sector. The cannabis industry is seen as a source of profit and jobs, but regional conflict in the Middle East currently remains the biggest obstacle for the Lebanese market to reach its full potential. 

What Are the Top Challenges for Global Cannabis Trade? 

Summed up, here are some of the top reasons that make or might make cannabis exports more difficult for manufacturers, governments, and other industry players.  

Unfavorable Laws and Regulation

Learning from the U.S. case, it’s safe to say that even when you own the strongest cannabis market in the world you may still lag behind with global exports because of restrictive laws. Legal states in the U.S. cannot even trade cannabis goods between each other because of the federal ban, therefore a lot of legally-grown, lab-tested weed is destroyed each year (sadly, this happens in Canada too, which is doing pretty fine with global exports). While unfavorable laws are commonplace all around the world, fortunately, more and more countries are seeing opportunities in the budding sector - they move away from rigid enforcement and jump on the bandwagon. 

Black Markets and Internal Affairs 

For most of the 20th-century cannabis was prohibited in almost all countries in the world. This paved the way for criminal structures everywhere to take control over the plant and distribute it illegally. Now we are in a phase where the criminalization of cannabis is being reversed incrementally. But for those governments who choose to switch to legal it often means addressing internal conflict, which requires substantial efforts and resources to make it work. One example is Morocco where authorities attempted to dominate something that has been inherently controlled by forces other than the government. Dutch coffeeshops flipping to legal weed as part of the national experiment program weighs the burden of dealing with what has been a gray area of the law since the 1970s. 

Regional Conflicts and War

Afghanistan, as another example, has some of the finest marijuana products in the world, but the landlocked country has been at war for more than thirty years and it’s difficult to become competitive with cannabis exports or any exports whatsoever when a country is torn by turmoil and conflict. Growing tensions between the world’s most powerful countries directly threaten the prosperity of the cannabis sector, as it threatens pretty much anything else. 

Also read on Soft Secrets:

• Portugal Grows Medical Cannabis, But Not for Locals

• Top Cannabis Stocks to Watch in the U.S. and Canada

• Legalization’s Social Impact: Jobs & Economy