Dec 13, 2019

Tight supply is driving a rise in Christmas tree prices

Christmas tree with a price tag on it

Photo: Sarah Blake Morgan/AP

Christmas tree supplies are tight across the U.S., fueling a rise in prices, per AP.

Why it matters: The industry is still bouncing back from the Great Recession, and trying to win people back from a shift toward artificial trees.

  • Artificial Christmas trees make up 70% of all trees in U.S. homes.

What's happening: An oversupply of trees about a decade ago caused a domino effect nationwide.

  • Fewer trees were cut down, which meant not as many seedlings were planted to replace them.
  • Hot, dry weather also took its toll, forcing many growers to close.

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