Cannabis is big business. Savvy entrepreneurs are cashing in on this fast-growing industry as more countries are legalizing cannabis for recreational use. Over half of US states have gone legal, including California. In 2018, Americans spent over $40bn on cannabis goodies be it a pure weed, vape pens, edibles or medicinal products. High demand requires high supply levels and professional cannabis growing businesses are coming to the market with gusto. There are thousands of growing plants in California alone.
You can go big or you can go small, but if serious money is to be made then big it has to be and this means fastidious business planning and massive investment (licenses). It would be foolish to think entering the cannabis supply market is easy. It’s anything but. Any entrepreneur considering starting up needs to undertake a full analysis of the market and assess the risks. Barriers to entry are high. There are complex laws to navigate and, in the US at least, there are tax implications, licensing and hostile regulatory environments to consider. The legalities facing the cannabis growing and supply industry change frequently and thus aspiring growers are recommended to seek legal advice. Once a full business plan has been created and investment secured, the physical space and kit need to be acquired.
In-depth discussion of all the kit and knowledge you need to be successful are outside the scope of this article. That said, many growers do invest in light deprivation greenhouses in order to grow large quantities of cannabis and produce multiple harvests per year. Having a professional cultivating system in place enhances quality and availability which in turn means more profit. Natural sunlight can produce an incredible product but planting cannabis in high-quality light deprivation greenhouses ensures environmental damage and pest problems do not occur. Controlling the different stages of cannabis production (vegetative/flowering) is also an advantage. Full Bloom Light Dep, suppliers of cannabis and hemp greenhouses, say that “by utilizing a blackout kit on a greenhouse structure, growers are able to spend less money up front on a growing facility, while still being able to automate and control their growing environment.”
Thought and research need to be given to the types of seeds to plant, watering systems, humidity levels, temperature and ventilation which will determine the full range of equipment required. If you are thinking of going into the cannabis-growing arena, do your homework and understand the science behind successful growing so that investments are made wisely and a successful first harvest is ensured. All growers want to produce large, healthy cannabis plants ready for market distribution. Forming the cannabis into bricks is one of the main ways that it is distributed, and systems need to be put in place to achieve this on a mass scale.
Keeping up to date with market trends and current legislation is imperative. It is predicted that within the next two years pretty much all US citizens over 21 will be able to access legal cannabis. With this will come more legislation and increasing regulation as prohibition is reduced.
If all this feels too daunting then your greenhouse can always be used for growing flowers such as asters, poinsettias and zinnias. Flower farmers make around $25000 per acre in the US, and it is probably a less stressful business venture to pursue. Becoming a pro-grower of cannabis is not for the faint-hearted. However, if you are determined and your planning is on-point (and you can secure the required investment) then entering this booming marketplace could be a real money-spinner.
