Christmas tree growers in the Sauerland start the season
A good six weeks before Christmas Eve, Christmas tree growers in Anröchte, Westphalia, have started this year's season. Despite a slight increase in prices compared to last year, the industry is expecting sales of the Sauerland's bestseller to be just as good. Retailers have ordered in the usual quantities, said Eberhard Hennecke, Chairman of the Christmas tree and cut greenery producers' section of the NRW Horticultural Association.
With around seven million Christmas trees a year, North Rhine-Westphalia is the main growing region in Germany and one of the largest in Europe. Between 23 and 25 million Christmas trees have been sold throughout Germany in recent years.
Hennecke estimates the price range for Nordmann firs this year at 21 to 29 euros per running meter. Last year, a meter cost one euro less at its peak. The price increase is intended to compensate for increased wage and transportation costs. The companies do their main business in the months leading up to Christmas: at the beginning of November, the focus is initially on Advent wreaths and trees for Christmas markets, while private households buy their Christmas trees from December onwards, according to Hennecke.
A symbolic first Christmas tree was cut down by the German Christmas tree queen Sophia Adlberger on Thursday at the opening of the season. The farms still work mainly by hand. As is usual in agriculture, they rely on seasonal workers from abroad, mainly from Romania, according to Hennecke.
The customs regulations for importing Christmas trees from non-EU countries can pose challenges for some importers. In addition to agriculture, forestry also plays a crucial role in the supply chain, as many Christmas trees are sourced from sustainably managed forests.
Source: www.dpa.com
