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Growers Struggle With Glut Of Legal Pot In Washington State


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SEATTLE — Washington's legal marijuana market opened last summer to a dearth of weed. Some stores periodically closed because they didn't have pot to sell. Prices were through the roof.

Six months later, the equation has flipped, bringing serious growing pains to the new industry.

A big harvest of sun-grown marijuana from eastern Washington last fall flooded the market. Prices are starting to come down in the state's licensed pot shops, but due to the glut, growers are — surprisingly — struggling to sell their marijuana. Some are already worried about going belly-up, finding it tougher than expected to make a living in legal weed.

"It's an economic nightmare," says Andrew Seitz, general manager at Dutch Brothers Farms in Seattle.

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/growers-struggle-with-glut-of-legal-pot-in-washington-state/ar-AA8ee7s?ocid=SNYDHP

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In Washington, many growers have unrealistic expectations about how quickly they should be able to recoup their initial investments, Simmons said. And some of the growers complaining about the low prices they're getting now also gouged the new stores amid shortages last summer.

Those include Seitz, who sold his first crop — 22 pounds — for just under $21 per gram: nearly $230,000 before his hefty $57,000 tax bill. He's about to harvest his second crop, but this time he expects to get just $4 per gram, when he has big bills to pay.

 

 

Some retailers have been marking up the wholesale price three-fold or more — a practice that has some growers wondering if certain stores aren't cleaning up as they struggle.

"I got retailers beating me down to sell for black-market prices," said Fitz Couhig, owner of Pioneer Production and Processing in Arlington.

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its hard to tell which news stories are actually true and which ones are just made up.

 

i've seen so many conflicting articles on colorado and washington.

i thought these guys were making so much money they had to take grocery bags full of cash to the tax office? or was that colo?

 

whats propaganda from the prohibitionists and whats propaganda from the industry vs news stories made up by dimwitted reporters who eat the whole cookie and then lie down for 7 hours straight wondering if they were going to die or not.

 

in january 2014 they didnt have more than 20 stores in the entire state, and the stores they had were sold out. but now they have 200 stores and no one is buying?

 

what?

Edited by t-pain
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Who would have ever thought that an easy to grow plant (weed)

would proliferate to the point that it's value would eventually approach zero? I guess the real question would be "How could it not?".

 

If this plant was REALLY turned loose and deregulated it would be cheaper than broccoli. We could get primo, South American grown, gift wrapped ounces for $10.

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Who would have ever thought that an easy to grow plant (weed)

would proliferate to the point that it's value would eventually approach zero? I guess the real question would be "How could it not?".

 

If this plant was REALLY turned loose and deregulated it would be cheaper than broccoli. We could get primo, South American grown, gift wrapped ounces for $10.

 

It would be cheaper than oregano if they legalized it. They know this. Ain't no money in oregano - sure is a fat cash crop with this scam though.

 

Cocaine is not worth a penny per gram in raw materials yet it is twice as valuable as gold by the ounce. Are we as stupid as they think we are? The answer is a resounding YES!!!

 

Thank you for reaffirming my faith in humanity for another day. If just one or two of my fellow primates understand then I don't feel so alone.

 

F these profiteers. It opens up another thought though. Are the big growers (who can handle a loss for a year or two) doing this to try and force out all the small ones then dominate the market with a State sanctioned monopoly when the state says "No new producer licenses"?

 

It is important to note that Washington "Does not allow home growing for people who are not medical marijuana patients." http://www.liq.wa.gov/marijuana/faqs_i-502 The inexorable march to Pfizer or some other corporation controlling the future of marijuana in American.

 

There is no contradiction to this story and all the others I have seen. I think people are being confused by the vast differences between the laws of Colorado and Washington and forgetting who has done what.

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It would be cheaper than oregano if they legalized it. They know this. Ain't no money in oregano - sure is a fat cash crop with this scam though.

 

Cocaine is not worth a penny per gram in raw materials yet it is twice as valuable as gold by the ounce. Are we as stupid as they think we are? The answer is a resounding YES!!!

 

Thank you for reaffirming my faith in humanity for another day. If just one or two of my fellow primates understand then I don't feel so alone.

 

F these profiteers. It opens up another thought though. Are the big growers (who can handle a loss for a year or two) doing this to try and force out all the small ones then dominate the market with a State sanctioned monopoly when the state says "No new producer licenses"?

 

It is important to note that Washington "Does not allow home growing for people who are not medical marijuana patients." http://www.liq.wa.gov/marijuana/faqs_i-502 The inexorable march to Pfizer or some other corporation controlling the future of marijuana in American.

 

There is no contradiction to this story and all the others I have seen. I think people are being confused by the vast differences between the laws of Colorado and Washington and forgetting who has done what.

I don't see how the powers that be are going to be able to allow marijuana use and still make a rational argument against a citizen's right to grow their own. Growing your own isn't like distilling spirits and it is easier than making wine or beer, so what will their argument be?7

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I don't see how the powers that be are going to be able to allow marijuana use and still make a rational argument against a citizen's right to grow their own. Growing your own isn't like distilling spirits and it is easier than making wine or beer, so what will their argument be?7

 

They are doing it in the State of Washington from day one. Not even a discussion about it.

 

The current law is irrational, this demonstrates rationality is not a prerequisite for any new law that is implemented.

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TRUE STORY: I can only speak to one group out there, but they had their harvest and got rid of everything! Even the stuff that didn't pass testing. My guess is that the folks that are stuck with their product had(or didn't have) a bad contract in place. The growers I speak of made an actual effort to lock into a contract with a distributor. They searched distributors and insisted on getting everything in writing. The basics of the contract were that the distributor simply had to take it all. They had offers for trim, offers for 7+ gram buds only, and 15 other options. They decided it was best to get it all done with one shot. They feel they sold themselves short a little, but they are on vacation currently while others struggle. Outdoor processors only.

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