Christmas tree prices soar by 25 per cent because of shortage in Denmark
Families buying their Christmas trees this weekend face paying up to 25 per cent more than last year because of a shortage.
Lower production of the Nordmann tree in Denmark has seen growers send only 500,000 to the UK this year, compared with the usual 1.5million.
The cutback has caused the price of the fir, Britain's most popular, to soar from about £35 to £43 on the busiest weekend of the year for sales.
Scroll down for more...
A Christmas tree shortage means families face paying up to 25 per cent more than last year
Three million of the eight million trees bought each year in the UK will be sold today and tomorrow, with the Nordmann accounting for much of demand.
And the shortage is likely to continue for several years as the Danes struggle to grow enough trees.
The problems in Denmark follow a period from 1998 to 2004 when there were too many growers, causing price crashes and some producers to go out of business.
In 2005, the problem was compounded when a change in EU agriculture subsidies meant growers who uprooted their Christmas trees and planted regular crops received a subsidy of up to £200 per hectare (2.5 acres).
To tackle the shortage, producers are now planting more trees, but a Nordmann needs ten years to reach maturity.
Kaj ustergaard, director of the Danish Christmas Tree Growers' Association, said: "They are at the moment less than 6ft tall, the optimum height for sale, and we just have to wait for them to be ready.
"In the past, this would not have been such a problem because other trees in Britain were popular. Now the Nordmann has become by far the most popular tree in Britain.
"It is called in some parts the "Rolls-Royce" of trees because it is of such high quality.
"It has very long needles that, unlike other trees, won't drop off on your carpet. And it has a lovely, deep, dark-green colour."
Roger Hay, secretary of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association, said: "We have been monitoring this situation and British growers have been increasing production, but not all of the trees we have are ready yet and are still too short."
