I've not really tried to start my own line of tobaccos, but I do grow my own tobacco. First off, if you are wanting to do this to make money, well... that's just silly. First off the market for pipe tobacco is teeny tiny... for non-aromatic pipe tobacco, then your in the microcosm of that teeny tiny. These forums give the illusion of grandeur, but really, it's just an illusion. You might as well market to left-handed transgender pirates that only live in Detroit.
But, if you just want to create something for yourself, then that is more reasonable. I grow my own, so that I can experience the pleasure of smoking something that I know is pesticide free, all natural, and where I can reminisce over starting the seeds and picking off all of the hornworms by hand while smoking it. Just a self-indulgent pleasure.
But, acreage to product costs aside, you really can't make much money off of growing. You can actually make more money off of tomatoes. But, if you are wanting to purchase leaf and process it, or have it processed so that you can resale it, then you have a huge wall of government red tape, licensing, product testing, and a team of lawyers to deal with.
I predict that in 20 years there will be no more tobacco on the retail market. It's just how society is swinging. When i was in North Carolina for a funeral a couple of weeks ago, I talked to a cousin who was in the process of getting his licencing to grow industrial hemp instead of tobacco, because he wasn't making a dime on tobacco. However, I do foresee a possible future where, one day, people will grow their own and trade amongst themselves. We might think about doing something along those lines. Moonshine tobacco trades. Since it is illegal, ::cough cough:: I wouldn't be interested in doing anything like that ::cough cough:: But, one day... it might just be worth knowing how to grow and process your own. Growing it for yourself, is perfectly legal. You just cannot sell, trade or give away any of your product. ::cough cough:: I really need to go to the doctor about this cough. :
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