Image Source: Unsplash

According to the Leafly Cannabis Harvest Report 2022, marijuana was the sixth most valuable wholesale crop in the United States last year at a $5 billion worth, trailing only corn, soybeans, hay, wheat, and cotton.

The calculation includes only crops in states where state-sanctioned sales of legal marijuana are already up and running and exclude production in medical marijuana-only states. Statista's Katharina Buchholz reports that 2022 saw a cannabis harvest of 2,834 metric tons, up 24% from 2021.

You will find more infographics at Statista

While the count of states having legalized marijuana stands at 23, at the time of the report's release, only 15 had come as far as opening state-licensed retail stores, mainly due to a flurry of legalization seen since 2021 affecting nine states. The 15 states where dispensaries are open are tied to more than 13,000 active and legal cannabis farms, according to Leafly.

You will find more infographics at Statista

California had the biggest share in the harvest, producing marijuana at a wholesale value of $1 billion, followed by Colorado at $687 million, Michigan at $551 million, and Oregon at $500 million.

At wholesale crop values of between $124 million and $362 million, marijuana was also the number one cash crop in New Jersey, Alaska, and Massachusetts.

In its report, Leafly criticized that despite its prominent role, marijuana crops are not included in statistics by the USDA and are not generally considered agricultural products, which leads to marijuana farmers paying higher taxes, being ineligible for disaster relief, and often having trouble finding adequate financial services.

More By This Author:

Seasonal Adjustments Turns $66BN Bank Deposit Outflow Into $41BN Inflow
Unemployment Rate Unexpectedly Surges As BLS Revises Payrolls For Every Month In 2023 Sharply Lower
Inside Today's Disastrous Jobs Report: 670K Full-Time Jobs Lost In 2 Months Vs 1 Million Part-Time Surge