High-THC Cannabis sativa in a New York greenhouse: yield and economic factors

The legalization of adult-use Cannabis sativa in New York State has created a need for research-based information on expected yield, production costs, revenue, and profitability for greenhouse cultivation. Limited data currently exist to inform growers and investors. This study evaluates both agronomic and economic outcomes for two flowering strategies-autoflower (light-insensitive) and photoperiod (light-sensitive) C. sativa-grown in a NYS greenhouse.

A comparative agronomic and economic analysis was conducted to assess yield performance, input requirements, costs, revenue, and returns for autoflower and photoperiod C. sativa crops. Growth traits were measured and correlated with final yield. Cost components, including labor, seeds and plants, nutrients, and other variable inputs, were analyzed to determine their contribution to total production expenses. Economic returns were calculated on a per-square foot basis.

Both autoflower and photoperiod plants showed strong correlations between early growth traits and final yield. Autoflowers, with shorter life cycles and independence from light manipulation, produced smaller plants with lower total biomass and THC content compared to photoperiod plants. Using assumed baseline values, autoflower cultivation resulted in a negative annual return above total costs of negative $1.48 per ft², whereas photoperiod cultivation generated a positive return of $7.18 per ft². Labor represented the largest share of variable costs for both systems, accounting for 52% of total costs in autoflower production and 34% in photoperiod production.

Autoflowers may be advantageous in space, capital, or labor-constrained environments requiring rapid crop turnover, while photoperiod plants appear more profitable for larger or well-resourced operations focused on maximizing yield and returns. Additional research is needed to identify practices and economic strategies that improve profitability, consistency, and efficiency for both cultivation approaches. This study underscores the need for continued economic analyses to guide decision-making in the emerging adult-use C. sativa industry.