NEW YORK, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Root rot, scant labor, foreign competition, inflation on everything from seeds to tractors, and the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Helene on the western part of North Carolina, which produces more Christmas trees than any state except Oregon, all have been combined to make historic challenges for the planters in the United States, said The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Friday.
In particular, Helene's impact will affect the Christmas tree industry for years to come, according to the report. It takes roughly 10 years to grow a full-size Fraser fir, which grows about a foot a year. Many of the trees that were damaged were several years from maturity, pressuring supply in five or six years.
The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association said there should be enough supply for anyone who wants a real tree this year, though growers say that buyers might need to adjust their expectations.
"Scant labor is also a problem. North Carolina is one of the biggest users of the H-2A visa program for agricultural workers. The regulations around hiring foreign workers have become increasingly cumbersome," noted the report.
Industry challenges are both external and from within, particularly with the proliferation of phytophthora, a root rot related to brown algae that is difficult to eradicate, it said.
"Such challenges have buffeted market size: the number of trees harvested in the U.S. has declined 30 percent since 2002, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department, even as the American population has grown 16 percent over the same period," it added.
Roughly 21.6 million real Christmas trees were purchased in the United States last year at a median price of 75 U.S. dollars, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. Historically, the day after Thanksgiving is the peak sales day for live trees.
