CALGARY—Holiday shoppers might have to fork over a little more for the evergreen scent of a natural Christmas tree this year as a shortage south of the border and increased demand for real trees put pressure on prices. Canadian Christmas tree farmers are raising prices as much as 10 per cent as the effect of market forces making firs, pines and spruces sparse in the U.S. spills over into Canada. Jimmy Downey, president of the Quebec Christmas Tree Growers Association, said it’s a relief that he’s been able to raise his wholesale price by about 10 per cent this year. Christmas Tree Council, said the association advised members not to take advantage of the shortage in the province. The drop is coming not only from increasing costs, but also because older tree farmers have been struggling to find someone to keep the operations going, said Shirley Brennan of the Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association.

Source: thestar December 01, 2017 22:32 UTC