The authorities will be moving to ease the financial burden on small scale ganja growers, as efforts continue to build the cannabis sector.

Industry Minister Aubyn Hill says the fees are a disincentive.

He explains that while the matter must be brought to Cabinet, consideration is being given to waive the fees for a period.

Stakeholders have lamented the high cost of the various fees which are quoted in US dollars and have called for a reduction.

Minister Hill says if government is to encourage the industry, this is part of the investment that must be made.

He reiterated that the ministry is working on the Alternative Development Programme ADP 2 point 0, under which 16 communities and 128 small scale and traditional cannabis farmers will be targeted for support.

The programme aims to prevent and eliminate the illicit cultivation of cannabis and channel the process through legal streams.

Stakeholders in the cannabis industry met yesterday.