Christmas tree shortage looms as holiday season approaches
2008 recession is a primary cause of the low supply
CALGARY – A North American-wide shortage of Christmas trees could mean some homes won’t be fully decked for the holidays, according to Christmas tree farmers.
With a lower supply this year and increased popularity of real trees, Canadian Christmas tree suppliers are struggling to meet the domestic and international demand for perfect Fraser firs. Since the majority of Christmas trees in Alberta are imported from Eastern Canada, Calgary is seeing higher prices and lower supply, according to John MacIsaac, co-owner of Porter River Christmas Trees.
“Alberta will be hit harder because the majority of the trees are imported,” said MacIsaac. “It seems like people have been coming to get their trees this week and we’re already sold out of two of the sizes of Christmas trees that we sell. It’s earlier than we’ve seen.”
Porter River Christmas Trees raised its prices for the first time in several years because of high demand and rising shipping costs. But, MacIsaac said, the quality of their trees is at a peak this year.
Since Fraser firs and other Christmas tree species take approximately 10 years to mature, the 2008 recession is a primary cause of the low supply. In 2008 and 2009, tree farmers planted fewer during difficult times. Combine that with a decade of unpredictable weather and now there’s a shortage, according to Shirley Brennan, executive director of the Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association. The same issues have affected supply in the United States, which has encouraged a greater amount of exports of Canadian trees into America.
“We have really good products in Canada, we play a very active role on the international stage and it takes us 10 years to fulfil a cycle of trees. It’s not as simple as planting more trees now, it takes time,” said Brennan.
Christmas tree demand has grown 20 per cent per year since 2015, yet retiring farmers have no succession plans, leaving a significant gap in the market.
“People will have to be more strategic. They may have to look around or choose a different species of tree in order to have one this year. We might not be able to accommodate that kind of tree that you’ve always had,” said Brennan.
She also suggests purchasing a tree early even if it’s tradition to put the tree up the week before Christmas. A tree can stay wrapped in the garage or basement.
Colin Atter, the owner of Plantation Garden Centre in Mount Pleasant, Alta. has lost two suppliers in the past five years. He orders trees a year in advance, but this year one of his suppliers cut his usual order by 25 per cent so he had to find others to make up the difference.
Atter has also seen a 30 per cent increase in the price of trees from suppliers within the past two years, which resulted in a price increase for his customers last year that is being carried over this year.
“Prices are being driven through the roof. In Canada, if you didn’t have your orders in early, you won’t be getting good quality trees this year,” said Atter. “In the United States, people are paying well over US$100 for a six- to seven-foot Fraser fir that even with the increase we sell for Cdn$89.”