NEW YORK – Christmas Tree, oh Christmas Tree, how much more expensive are your branches?
Experts are predicting a Christmas Tree shortage this year, saying the cost of a real tree will likely increase by as much as 10 percent. Also, because of the shortage, the opportunity to find a suitable tree may be less.
Tree farms in North Carolina and Oregon have been hit the hardest by the nationwide shortfall.
“There is a touch of a undersupply,” National Christmas Tree Association spokesman Doug Hundley told Newsweek. “If you’re a last-minute shopper, your particular retailer may sell out a week early this year, depending on where you’re shopping.”
Experts blame the shortage on droughts and wildfires this year. They warn the shortage could last for as long as eight years. In addition, the number of Christmas Trees being grown has decreased by almost two million.
It is suggested that people seeking trees buy them no later than Dec. 1. The average price of a tree is expected to be between $28 and $110, sources report. Experts also say the price increases could push more people to buy and use artificial trees.