Local fir tree sales

brisk despite

sluggish economy
By Scott Nicholson

Despite national concern among retailers about the financial health of Christmas shoppers, the local holiday season is expected to remain “green,” particularly for those growing and selling Christmas trees.

Linda Gragg, director of the Boone-based North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, predicted no fall-off despite a sluggish economy.

“I’m hearing that growers are selling pretty much what they want to sell,” Gragg said. “Maybe a few more. It looks like we (North Carolina) will be selling 5 to 5.5 million trees. It looks good.”

Gragg said pockets will be a little less full this year but people plan to stick with the basic holiday traditions while tempering their extravagance.

“I’ve talked to several consumers that have called and they’re telling me they’re not going to have as much under the tree but they’re going to have a tree, so that’s real encouraging to us,” she said.

Grower Harry Yates of Boone said prices were pretty much the same as last year, though some markets were developing more slowly.

“We seem to be getting a lot of later orders, more than I’ve seen in a long time,” he said. “Sales look pretty good for us. I expect to sell the same amount as last year, maybe a few more.”

Yates, who is a wholesaler, said he’s hearing conflicting opinions about how the economy will affect people’s holiday celebrations.

“The bottom line will be what happens on the retail end,” Yates said. “Nobody really knows what’s going to happen. One theory is people will stay closer to home and will buy a homegrown tree. Others think people aren’t going to buy a tree.”

Retail prices are expected to remain at 2007 levels, despite an easing of gas prices that contributed to higher overhead costs for growers last year. Six-to-seven foot trees should be about $45 while seven-to-eight footers will be around $55.

Gragg recently attended a 12-day Chrismas show in Charlotte and got a sense of restrained optimism. “People are saying they’re going to travel, and that’s a good indication,” she said. “I think that’s true nationally as well.”

Lingering drought and last season’s late freeze didn’t hamper the trees that are headed for market this year, but that damage to young seedlings could show up in pricing and availability in five years or so.

“The growth this spring was some of the prettiest growth I’ve seen in the last few years,” Gragg said. “There was no harm done by the drought for the trees to be harvested.”

Gragg also finished up the primary marketing of trees for this season, though choose-and-cut is entering its height. “We gave out a lot of maps to the High Country,” she said. “I feel it’s going to be another good year.

We make our push August, September and October. Our Web site has seen three times the amount of traffic this year.”
N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler continued his mild-mannered baiting of Oregon, which touts itself as the top tree-producing state. Last year, Troxler raised Oregon growers’ ire by saying North Carolina might be second in the amount of Christmas trees produced but was first in tree revenue, partly due to the market prices of the Fraser fir. The Fraser fir is native to the Southern Appalachians and only grows at the higher altitudes in western North Carolina.

There are more than 1,500 growers in the state. Over 400 of them operate choose-and-cut farms
.
Growers in the Piedmont and coastal plain grow pines, cedars and other types suited to warmer climates, while mountain growers raise the Fraser fir and other varieties. The state’s growers reported sales of $125 million in 2007.