BLOG
Why is CBD Oil So Expensive?
Have you ever wondered why CBD oil is so expensive? There are several factors that contribute to the price, from the production process to all the legal red tape that must be jumped through. In the end, high quality products are worth the price. In this blog, we have explained some of the reasons that CBD oil is expensive.
High Demand
The first reason that CBD oil is expensive is simply because it is in high demand. Selling this product was only legalised very recently, meaning that we have entered into something of a CBD oil craze.
Research has suggested that hemp oil has numerous benefits, from regulating sleep patterns to treating anxiety disorders. People want to reap the benefits of this new holistic health product and high demand means high prices.
Production
As CBD oil becomes more popular, more farmers are switching over from cultivating other crops to cultivating hemp plants. However, this transition is relatively recent and it is a slow process. Hemp plants must be more frequently regulated compared to other crops. Farmers may need to hire additional workers, meaning production becomes more expensive.
In addition to time and labour, hemp plant cultivation requires specialist equipment, which can be costly to purchase and maintain. Combine harvesters, for example, are necessary for growing hemp plants outside. To achieve an organic certificate, fields and farms are subject to regular checks and harvesting practices must be approved. The whole production process drives up the price of CBD oil.
Extraction
Once the hemp plants have been harvested, the CBD must be extracted. This process is difficult and requires skilled workers and expensive equipment so that the THC can be removed, while the CBD and other cannabinoids are preserved.
The most efficient method for extracting CBD is supercritical CO2 extraction. This method is the gold standard for CBD extraction, as it ensures that the final product contains no harmful solvents. However, this form of extraction is also very expensive and there are a limited number of facilities that are able to carry out this process.
