{"id":713,"date":"2022-12-02T19:13:54","date_gmt":"2022-12-03T00:13:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/reloading\/?p=713"},"modified":"2022-12-02T19:24:13","modified_gmt":"2022-12-03T00:24:13","slug":"as-december-arrives-christmas-tree-producers-sellers-feel-the-pinch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/reloading\/2022\/12\/02\/as-december-arrives-christmas-tree-producers-sellers-feel-the-pinch\/","title":{"rendered":"As December arrives, Christmas tree producers, sellers feel the pinch\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Koyuki Hayashi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the eve of National Christmas Tree Day, tree producers and sellers are advising consumers not to wait until the last minute to buy a tree. The first and second weekend of December mark the busiest days for tree shoppers, said Fred Somerville, president of the Canadian Christmas Trees Association, on Friday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Somerville, Canada is currently experiencing a supply shortage of Christmas trees. Strong demand from the United States and the impact of large numbers of tree farms closing a decade ago are hitting consumers, many of whom are looking for a real Christmas tree in their home this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Somerville said the supply shortage of Christmas trees is not a unique situation to one specific region in Canada. \u201cIt\u2019s right across Canada and right across the States as well. There’s a continental shortage of trees right now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the reasons Canada is experiencing supply shortages is that Canadian tree growers would rather sell to Americans, Somerville said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCanadian growers, mainly in Atlantic Canada and Quebec, will be selling into the States to get the higher U.S. dollars,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Saunders, owner of Saunders Farm near Richmond, said he is seeing a convergence of surging demand for Christmas trees, a shortage of tree supplies and a strong market growth for real trees in the wake of the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being under quarantine, Saunders said, made more people desire a living, breathing tree in their living rooms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of farmers in the [Ottawa] region sold out by weekend two or three of last year,\u201d he said. \u201cIt takes 11 or 12 years to grow a Christmas tree, so you can\u2019t just make more trees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saunders also said that despite higher inflation that has pushed up the price of trees, he doesn\u2019t think it will stop people from buying real ones. \u201cFor an item that you buy one of, once a year, I think people are finding ways to cut back in other areas or get a slightly smaller tree,\u201d Saunders said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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