I have been going through seed catalogs until my eyes are blurry and my brain is numb. Looking for the best prices/# of seeds. Hidden costs in handling and shipping etc. Then I started thinking where are all these companies getting their seeds? Do some of these companies buy their seeds in bulk and then resell the same seeds in their own packaging? So that would mean that I'm going through all these catalogs looking at the exact same seed at different prices. Does any body know how this works, is it legal to repackage seeds? I'm putting together my final order I hope) and then this popped into my head.
Lisa
Seed Question again.......
The major retailers buy from producers like Seeds by Design, Syngenta, Seminis, Sakata, Takii, Known You, Harris Moran etc. . They repackage from bulk. They have to do germination tests each year and put the results on the package. I n North America, that has no bearing on the age of the seed only that germination was tested in the selling year. If you are buying a popular variety and especially if you buying a hybrid, they probably came from the same bin somewhere along the line. While many of the "heirlooms" are from mass producers especially Seeds by Design, all hybrids will come from specific producers. The small Mom and pop heirloom companies who deal in obscure varieties usually grow their own or contract with small growers. Several Dg'ers provide seed to this type of company.
Price is determined by company overhead, profit margin, amount of seed in the package etc. One or two people operating out of a house or their garage can sell cheaper than a company with employees that cost wages, insurance, corporate taxes etc. Not always the case, but the case in theory. Big color catalogs and fancy packaging also add to the cost.
Thanks I only grow o/p heirlooms/vintage. Is there any reason why the smaller businesses wouldn't just buy seeds in bulk (Cheaper) and then repackage them into smaller packages? Are there any regulations regarding this? Some of the o/p aren't obscure like Brandywine, or Mortgage Lifter.
The smaller operations probably can't afford to purchase enough in bulk and then divide to really turn a profit and keep the prices down. Many vendors offer lower prices the more a company buys. (The more you buy, the bigger your discount.) Often, the smaller businesses just can't afford it or they don't do enough business to justify purchasing the larger amount of seeds.
I guess you southerners don't have this problem, but I have no idea what I'd do all winter if I didn't have seed catalogs to look at "until my eyes are blurry" !!
;-)
Sandy
IO1 - I agree with you. Although I love to look through the seed catalogs, picking and choosing between them makes me as dizzy as 1lisac :)
If I could have purchased "turtle bean seeds" from Burpee, I would only have had one place from which to order - but I ended up having to buy them from Pinetree Garden Seeds; and only then because they had the weeder I was looking for.