Americans should expect Christmas trees to cost more this year, and they may want to buy their spruces sooner, according to a survey of wholesale growers.
Inflation hit 7.7% in October, and Christmas tree growers were not spared from soaring gasoline, diesel and fertilizer prices. More than a third of Christmas tree growers said their costs have increased by at least 16%, according to a survey by the Real Christmas Tree Board.
37% of wholesale Christmas tree growers said their costs increased 16% or more, according to a Real Christmas Tree Board survey.
(FoxNews)
REAL OR FAKE: TEXANS ‘CHEER’ ON THEIR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TREES
And shoppers can also expect to see those costs to upset them.
More than 70% of wholesale Christmas tree growers said they plan to increase their prices between 5% and 15% compared to last year, according to the survey. Another 5% said they plan to mark their trees by more than 20%.
71% of Christmas tree growers expect to increase prices by between 5% and 15%, while another 5% expect to increase prices by more than 20%, according to the Real Christmas Tree Board survey.
(FoxNews)
However, some buyers will be lucky: 2% of growers said they do not plan to increase their prices at all.
Droughts and wildfires have affected Christmas trees, and variety and quality may have declined, but shortages are not expected this year. Still, Americans had better embrace an evergreen fast: Two-thirds of wholesale growers expect to sell all the trees they plan to harvest this year.
67% of wholesale Christmas tree growers expect to sell all the evergreens they harvest this year, according to the Real Christmas Tree board of directors survey.
(FoxNews)
WATCH MORE FOX NEWS DIGITAL ORIGINALS HERE
In total, between 25 and 30 million real Christmas trees are sold each year in the US, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
Up to 30 million real Christmas trees are sold nationwide each year, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
(FoxNews)
Americans who miss out could end up putting money in Beijing’s pocket. According to the Department of Commerce, four out of five artificial trees worldwide are made in China.
80% of artificial trees sold worldwide are made in China, according to the Department of Commerce.
(FoxNews)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Not to mention, artificial tree shoppers will miss out on the unmistakable smell of the Christmas spirit. In another survey by the Real Christmas Tree Board, more than 80% of respondents said that “real Christmas trees smell like Christmas.”
