Christmas trees, particularly Nordmann Fir, are in tight supply this year.
“Supplies are scarce purely because there was a dip in prices a few years back which led to a decrease in planting,” said marketer Alan Jakins of A Jakins. “So now a few years on, trees are going dearer, and they will still be dearer next year as well.”
Jakins is already selling trees and reports price rises. “We started off about 50p a tree more on average allowing for the size of the tree, on Nordmann Fir,” he said. “But now people are going to be looking at paying 100-200p more.”
Jakins reported that Nordmann is still the favoured variety in the marketplace and that it is grown in the UK. “They keep trialing new varieties, but they play a minor role,” he said.
But there have also been problems that have shortened supply of trees from Denmark. “Fewer Nordmann Fir are being imported as the EU single-payment scheme has been introduced in Denmark and they do not get the grants they used to, so some growers have ceased production,” said Roger Hay of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association. “There will be a bit of a movement up in terms of price, but it also depends on the species people are looking for.”
Hay estimates that there will be some 500,000 fewer Nordmann trees from Denmark this season than in previous years but that other types grown in the UK will supplement availability, and may only be about 50p a tree dearer than in 2005 at retail level.
“If people want a tree, they will be able to get one, but maybe a pine or a spruce, which don’t hold the needles as well as Nordmann Fir,” said Hay.
Last year, there was a flood of trees from Denmark, added Hay, as it was the last season growers could qualify for a grant and prices were consequently low.
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