Experts are blaming a spike in the price of Christmas trees on a nationwide supply shortage. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, prices around the country have spiked about 10 percent.
“For now, we’re in good shape but I don’t know if we can sustain it through the entire season," said Leo Collins, owner of Bluebird Christmas Tree Farm.
Collins' farm is located in Anderson County. He said his price increase and supply shortage are similar to the national trend.
“All I’ve done is pass on the increase that I’ve had to pay," he said. “If we had to pay $5 more on a tree, that’s how much we increased it.”
Collins and the National Christmas Tree Association credit the recession with the higher prices and lower supply. Trees take around 10 years to grow, so the limited number of trees planted during the recession are the trees available this year.
“They were not put in the field for several years so now we’re in that period where they are not coming to market," Collins said.
Experts estimate that both the supply and prices on Christmas trees will be back to normal as early as 2020. For now, Collins hopes he will be able to remain open through the season.
“We’re going to be open as long as we have trees to sell," he said. "The real perk of the whole thing is the kids and the excitement.”