7 Things to Know About US Cannabis Homegrowers: New Frontier Data 2022 Report

Through Lydia Karuki

New Frontier Data (NFD) just released an in-depth report, an in-depth report on the dynamics of domestic cannabis cultivation in the US, including the current state of play and future projections. The home grow market consists of those who grow cannabis plants at home for their own needs and/or the needs of consumers in their area. Not much is known about this group about who they are, what motivates them, how they do it, or what results they get.

NFD conducted a survey of 4,682 cannabis users and 1,250 non-cannabis users. This report entitled “The US Cannabis Homegrow Market: Motivations, Processes and Outcomes” has made several revelations that may serve as clues for the cannabis industry:

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• Six percent of cannabis users grow their own cannabis, which equates to 3 million growers
• By 2030, approximately 4.1 million Americans will be growing their own cannabis at home
• While 7% of adult consumers are likely to grow their own cannabis, the figure is slightly lower at 5% for medical consumers and 4% for those who buy cannabis on the illicit market.
• 38% of home growers know someone working in the cannabis industry, which is twice as many compared to non-growers
• Most home growers cultivate six plants or fewer at a time and harvest up to three times a year

Here are 7 interesting findings to glean from the report:

1. What is the projected growth path of home grow expenses for setting up the grow site and purchasing inputs?

Estimated spend on setting up sites and growing supplies is expected to increase 38% over the next decade, from $2.7 billion to over $3.7 billion. Consumers are expected to spend almost $30 billion on home-growing during this period.

2. How much cannabis are home growers projected to produce in the next ten years?

Conservatively, home growers are expected to produce around 11 million pounds of dried cannabis flower in 2022 and 15 million pounds per year by 2030.

3. What is the likely dollar value of cannabis produced by home growers in 2022?

Assuming the market value of a pound of dried cannabis at $1,250, US home growers will be making $14 worth of cannabis by the end of the year.

4. Why do home growers use cannabis?

Home growers use cannabis for similar reasons as the average consumer. However, a higher proportion consume for general well-being.

5. Do home growers use cannabis more often than non-growers?

Yes, while 66% of home growers use cannabis on a daily basis, only 40% of non-growers use it on a daily basis.

Photograph by © by Martin Deja/Getty Images

6. Where did most home growers learn to grow?

Most (49%) learned how to grow cannabis from online sources and from their social circle (47%). Very few have learned how to grow cannabis through an agricultural or academic route.

7. What are the common challenges faced by home growers?

• Pests, fungi and diseases
• produce quality flowers
• Creation of the ideal growth environment
• Proper plant care before harvest
• Proper post-harvest preparation
• odor challenges
• Theft
• Excessive Costs

With federal reform prospects on the horizon, this information is very useful. The homegrow market is likely to grow exponentially and legit retailers need to take this into account when making their sales projections based on the estimated size of the consumer market.

This article originally appeared on MyCannabis.com and has been republished with permission.