Running a marijuana business can be quite profitable these days, especially as cannabis legalization spreads across the country. However, while many people focus on cannabis products (i.e., buds and edibles) or the plants themselves, what about the seeds? The best marijuana comes from the best weed seeds, which is why it’s never been a better time to sell them. Also, since cannabis is an annual plant (it doesn’t grow back year after year), demand will only get higher (pun intended).
So, let’s look at how selling cannabis seeds can add value to your marijuana seed business. We’ll cover the ins and outs of your potential business model and what to consider before starting.
What Kind of Seeds Can You Sell?
There are three primary kinds of cannabis seeds you can offer your customers: regular, autoflowering, and feminized. Here’s a quick breakdown of each seed type and its benefits and downsides.
Regular Cannabis Seeds
As the name suggests, these seeds are what you get from standard cannabis plants. Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell if a seed is male or female, so there’s always a 50/50 chance. In some cases, you can breed hermaphroditic seeds, but it’s pretty hard to do consistently.
Pros
- Cost-Effective – You can harvest regular seeds quickly and easily and pass the savings on to your clients.
- Easy to Produce – Beyond the standard cannabis growing equipment, you don’t need specialty items to make these seeds.
- Perfect for Breeding – Some clients may want to create their own strains. Regular seeds allow them to mix and match the plants they like the best.
Cons
- Equal Male and Female Seeds – Since it’s impossible to separate male and female seeds, your clients will have to separate them after planting. This extra work may deter professional growers.
Autoflowering Seeds
Growers who have a small operation or want to produce plants faster may prefer autoflowering seeds. This type of cannabis can grow much faster than traditional plants, and they grow smaller. As with regular cannabis, these seeds can be male or female.
Pros
- Faster Growth Cycle – Typically, personal growers may prefer these seeds because they can mature so quickly.
- Smaller Plants – Again, personal growers might have a tiny setup, so they can’t afford to grow full-sized cannabis plants.
Cons
- Small Buds – Small plants equal smaller buds, so users have to harvest more to get the same results.
- Lower Potency – A faster growing cycle means the plant doesn’t put as much THC or CBD into the flowers.
Feminized Seeds
Because cannabis growers only want female plants, many of them only want female seeds. The only way to ensure all-female seeds is to produce “feminized” plants. In this case, you have to put the plants under stress. Once stressed, they’ll only make female seeds as a defense mechanism to ensure continued existence.
Pros
- Better Results for Growers – Feminized seeds can yield much larger crops because growers don’t have to remove the males.
- Better Profit Margin – As a seed producer, you can charge much more for feminized seeds because they require extra care and attention.
Cons
- More Work Involved – You have to be careful when stressing the plants because you don’t want to do too much or too little. Each crop may also require slightly different variables to produce the same results.
Factors to Consider When Developing Your Marijuana Seed Business
Before pulling the trigger on your new enterprise, you must know what to expect. Here are some elements to figure out so that you can build a strong foundation from which to succeed.
Compliance
Although marijuana legalization is quickly spreading, each state sets its own rules. So, you must familiarize yourself with these rules before starting anything. Also, consider how your growing operation affects your compliance standards. For example, growing outside may mean installing irrigation and minimizing your environmental impact.
Competition
Fortunately, demand is always high for weed, so you shouldn’t have to worry as much about competition. Also, as a seed producer, you’re not competing against those who harvest and process the plants for consumption. That said, there are only a few weed seed distributors, so you have to pay attention to what they’re doing so you can get ahead.
Operations and Infrastructure
To create cannabis seeds, you need to grow and fertilize your own plants. Are you growing inside or outside? How many plants do you want in a single crop? Even though you need males to fertilize the seeds, one male could pollinate an entire crop. So, it’s best to remove most males as they develop. Then, once you get the seeds, how will you keep them stable and usable? You need to answer all these questions and more.
Who Will You Be Selling To?
Starting a marijuana seed business is profitable because growers will always need new batches of seeds. Plus, you can sell to several types of growers, such as:
Personal Growers
In states where marijuana is legal, individuals can grow multiple plants at home as long as they don’t make money from them. So, you can sell seeds to people who want to try their hand at growing cannabis or want to make their own weed strains.
Manufacturers
These days, CBD is becoming a big industry because CBD products are legal in all 50 states. So, if you want to tap into that growing market, you can cultivate CBD-heavy cannabis plants. Alternatively, you can sell your THC seeds to manufacturers who want total control over their operation from plant to product.
Professional Cannabis Operations
As more dispensaries and edible boutiques start popping up, the demand for high-quality seeds will only continue to boom. As with manufacturers, you can sell your seeds to businesses that want to create new strains or sell existing buds to customers. The future of the cannabis industry is only just beginning, so it’s hard to tell how far it will go.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, starting a marijuana seed business is a smart and profitable move. Once you get your operations up and running, you can sell your seeds wholesale or in small, artisan batches to your top-tier clients.