America is Facing a Christmas Tree Shortage

The United States is currently facing  Christmas Tree shortage. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, NCTA, America is facing a tree shortage, which may cause the price for a Christmas tree to rise for consumers.

The cause of the shortage could be traced back to the Great Recession that took place nearly a decade ago. During the economic downturn, tree farmers started cutting back on their crops to save money during the time of decreased demand.

“In those years we were in a recession. Tree sales were down, prices were down, and we weren’t planting as many trees,” Doug Hundley of the NCTA told News 12 Long Island.

A traditional Christmas tree can take up to ten years to reach their full height of 7 to 8 feet, so Americans are now facing the effect of the 2008 economic recession.

Hundley points out that early shoppers should not face any issues with availability and variety of trees, but to expect prices may be higher due to the limited stock. He also adds that many farms tend to lower prices right before Christmas to get rid of their extra trees, so those hoping to pinch a few pennies should wait until the last few weeks of December to purchase a Christmas tree.