That Christmas tree might cost you more this year.
Doug Hundley, spokesperson for The National Christmas Tree Association, said tree prices could be 5 to 10 percent higher than last year.
Hundley blamed drop in production, especially in the top Christmas tree growing states, Oregon and North Carolina.
He said fewer trees are being harvested this year, because fewer were planted during the great recession.
Hundley said the average Christmas tree is between seven to 10 years old, and seven to 10 years ago the U.S. was going through the worst recession since the Great Depression.
“There were farms that actually went bankrupt,” said Lewis County tree farmer John Burton.
He owns Christmas Hills Tree Farm in Mossyrock and expects to ship out as many as 60,000 trees between now and Christmas.
He says prices have been higher than in past years, as a result of increased demand.
“We’ve had so many calls from retailers in a panic, looking for trees this year,” said Burton, “They’re just not available.”
Hundley said consumers might be able to find cheaper trees if they buy before the beginning of December.
