The Costs of Producing Cannabis
The Costs of Producing Cannabis can be Exorbitant
Starting a grow operation is a smart investment. After all, the estimated value of the marijuana industry could rise to as much as $35 billion by 2020, and there’s a lot of money to be made in this up-and-coming industry. However, running a grow operation is not cheap, and that’s especially true for indoor growers. A large part of the high costs of producing cannabis comes from the energy required. Right now, cannabis is the most energy-intensive agricultural product grown in the United States, and that’s, in large part, thanks to indoor grow operations.
How to Lower the Costs of Your Indoor Grow Operation
Though producing marijuana in an indoor grow facility can be pricey, you’ll be glad to know that there are a lot of things you can do to curb the costs and improve your business’s bottom line. Here are just a few of them:
Switch up your lighting schedule.
Every grow operation needs the proper amount of light, but that doesn’t mean that there’s no flexibility in your lighting schedule. Did you know that you can take advantage of cheaper energy rates by running your grow lights primarily during off-peak hours? That’s right, learning when the off-peak energy usage hours are for your municipality can lead to big energy savings.
Don’t waste valuable light.
In any grow facility, light is one of the most valuable resources you have, and you should not waste it. Any light that hits the floor, the walls or the ceiling is essentially wasted light. The only light that is actually used by your plants is the light that strikes the canopy. Avoid wasting light, and the money to pay for that light, by utilizing reflective surfaces whenever possible.
If possible, avoid using soil.
Believe it or not, soil is not the only viable growing medium you could use in your grow operation. In fact, it may not even be the most ideal growing medium. That’s because soil is not only pricey to purchase, but it’s also expensive to transport and dispose of once it’s been used. Soil can also expose your plants to pathogens and pests that can damage or destroy them. If you have an experienced grower on your team, you might be better off using a hydroponic system.
Reduce your need for pesticides.
Pesticides are necessary for most grow operations, but they can also be expensive. You could be looking at up to $12,000 per month on pesticides alone, and when you couple that with the fact that more and more consumers are concerned about pesticide use, it pays to reduce the need for them in your grow operation. Installing air sanitation equipment, isolating your grow room and keeping your entire facility clean are all great ways to reduce your need for pesticides.
Automate your operation as much as possible.
Contrary to popular belief, marijuana can be a tempermental thing to grow, and it everything from the humidity to the amount of light your plants are exposed to will require constant monitoring. This can mean high employment costs for grow facilities, but it doesn’t have to. Many of these systems can be automated, and automation can even lead to increased efficiency, saving you more money. Having an automated irrigation system, for instance, is actually more efficient than watering by hand because it eliminates the risk of spilling water on the floor, which also impacts the humidity levels.
Let us help you find the right marijuana property for sale!
The costs of producing marijuana can be downright intimidating, but there are plenty of things you can do to save more money on your production costs. However, none of this matters without the right cannabis property, and luckily, Deer Park Development has the perfect option in Needles for you. Visit us online today to learn more!
