The trend of legalization in the United States is bringing about a new era in cultivation, but it’s also creating a new set of challenges. Commercial growers face less risk of raids and prosecution, thereby opening the door for more permanent facilities and allowing cultivators to take advantage of economies of scale.
But the rapid rise of state-legal marijuana has put a dent in wholesale prices, making it more of a challenge for growers to stay profitable compared to the black market heyday. Marijuana is becoming a commodity product. Business-savvy growers are keeping an eye on their initial start-up costs, but also turning more of their attention toward the cost of production.
Because of these factors, Matt Cohen believes cannabis-specific, high-tech greenhouses will be key to the future of the industry.
Of course, Cohen is a biased source. He’s now CEO of TriQ Systems, which has partnered with several top greenhouse manufacturers and outfitters to offer turn-key solutions for the cannabis industry, as well as a variety of equipment and product lines for growers. TriQ’s facilities aren’t designed for smaller, boutique growers. The smallest facility it will do is 60,000 square feet, which is about a 10,000-pound annual production grow, Cohen said. TriQ has contracts for greenhouses up to 12 acres, he says.
But regardless of whether growers are utilizing simple indoor warehouses or expensive, custom greenhouses, they all have the same question in mind: What is the most efficient way to grow the best crop possible? Cohen says one of the big keys is setting up a cannabis-specific facility.
Read Garrett Rudolph’s “Bright Future for Greenhouses”: http://www.marijuanaventure.com/bright-future-for-greenhouses/
