(submitted photo/Lefebvre Christmas Tree Farm Facebook page)

By Ronald Quaroni

X-Mas Economics

Thin limbed: North America short on Christmas trees

Dec 4, 2019 | 1:24 PM

A local grower says there is a Christmas tree shortage in North America and the 2008 recession is to blame.

According to Ray Gaudet, a former director for the National Christmas Tree Association, there were fewer trees planted during the recession, which left a gap in the market.

“When things softened up in the U.S. all kinds of people stopped planting trees because when you plant, you’re in it for at least 10 years,” co-owner of Gaudet Trees, Ray Gaudet said. “There’s a chronic shortage in the North American market. Prices are up. I get calls from people that had suppliers, who [now] don’t have trees.”

Gaudet has been in the industry for 37 years and told paNOW there has been a high demand since summer.

“Starting back in July, August, September wholesalers would call [and say], ‘Jeez I don’t have any trees,’” he said. “For Prince Albert, things are normal for us. We don’t have a shortage. I saw that coming… I don’t have any of my customers on the wholesale side, short on trees.”

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He noted the lack of trees on this side of the border will be felt most heavily in Eastern Canada, due to bigger population sizes.

Despite the shortage, Gaudet decided to focus on existing customers as opposed to wholesaling his trees out of the area.

“I really try to help the non-profits and private garden centres. That’s the focus of our business,” he said.

Lefebrve Tree Farm, near the community of St. Brieux also insulated themselves from the shortage by only selling to a limited number of trees to various businesses in surrounding communities.

“We would never run short, because we want customers to come here,” Suzanne Lefebrve told paNOW. “It’s been really good, we had a really busy last weekend.”

She explained they turned down a few wholesale buyers because they wanted hundreds of trees.

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Ron.quaroni@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @RonaldQuaroni