Another Delta greenhouse has begun harvesting cannabis.

Photo: Delta Optimist / File Photo

Rubicon says it is ramping up to achieve a run rate of approximately 11,000 kilograms of annual certified organic 'super-premium and environmentally sustainable' cannabis

Another Delta greenhouse has begun harvesting cannabis.

Rubicon Organics Inc., which runs a 125,000-square-foot facility on 104th Street in East Ladner, this week announced it’s successfully completed its first commercial-scale harvest of certified organic pot.

The harvest passed all microbiology and contaminant testing to be fully compliant with Health Canada standards and has enabled the company to submit its sales license amendment with Health Canada, according to the company, adding it marks a significant milestone in its execution strategy as it moves towards a brand launch.

“The success of our first commercial-scale harvest is proof that Rubicon Organics’ proprietary cultivation methods, developed over years of research and development, can grow fully compliant, exceptional quality, certified organic cannabis at scale in Canada,” said CEO Jesse McConnell in a news release.

“We are very proud of our dedicated cultivation team which has fully delivered against the design expectations and target yields of our hybrid facility in Delta. We are now moving down the path towards securing our sales license to bring high-quality, certified organic products directly to the market in the coming months.”

The initial commercial-scale crop was planted in mid-June and harvested from the end of September to mid-October.

The company notes that as new compartments within the facility are completed, additional crops will be planted in stages in order to achieve full production capacity, which is estimated to be 11,000 kilograms per year. 

Once the facility is fully planted, the company says it intends to maximize efficiencies and ensure a consistent supply of fresh flower through a perpetual harvest strategy that targets a harvest every two-and-a-half weeks.

Dependent on Health Canada approval timelines, the company expects to receive its sales license amendment in the first half of 2020.