BRITISH farmers are facing a mad rush to keep up with demand for Christmas trees as they try to make up for lost supply from Denmark.
More than one million Nordmann Fir trees are usually imported to the UK each year from Denmark as it’s Europe’s largest producer.
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But an outbreak of a mutated form of coronavirus at mink farms in Denmark has put a stop to exports from the country.
Heather Parry, managing agent for the British Christmas Tree Growers Association, said Covid – including the mink issue in Denmark – have affected imported trees.
She said: “They are getting through customs, albeit more slowly than normal.
“The vast majority of the 8-10million Christmas trees sold in this country are grown in the UK.
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“The Covid-19 outbreak has meant everyone has had to put additional measures in place to make sure staff and customers are safe.”
Stephan Meijer, a Dutch plant broker and Christmas tree dealer from Dutch export firm Net Plants, which counts independent garden centres and chain stores amongst its customers, deals in thousands of trees each year, but says this year is different.
He said: “Demand is huge, with people across Europe wanting to make the most of Christmas at home due to the Covid-19 situation, but we are having real problems getting the stock out of Denmark.
“Usually things go smoothly, but the trees come from remote rural areas and restrictions are in place because of the mink problem.
How to look after your real Christmas tree
HERE’S what you need to know if you’re buying a real Christmas tree:
First thing’s first: buy a pot (if it doesn’t come in one already).
You’ll need to treat your tree just like a houseplant and give it water and attention.
Make sure the container has good drainage – and it’s a good idea to put something underneath to catch the excess water.
Check the soil everyday to make sure it’s not drying out.
If it feels dry, give it some water. If it still feels moist, leave it alone as too much water can also kill a tree.
Also check the LED bulbs on your tree lights aren’t too hot as they could burn it, and keep your tree away from radiators.
When Christmas is over, try planting it in the garden so you can dig it up and use it again next year.
It’s a good idea to take it out of its pot when you do re-plant it though, as large trees don’t survive well in pots as their roots need space to grow.
“All of my shipments have been delayed, and we don’t know how we can get them out of the countries.
“The lorries are stopped at the border and the trucks and drivers cannot exit. We hope a solution can be found in time.”
This means UK shops and garden centres that previously sourced Christmas trees from Denmark are facing delays and many are turning to UK suppliers, which could mean there are fewer to go around.
Online Christmas tree seller Croft & Cole sources its trees from UK farms in the summer and says while it has no supply issues and sales have tripled, it has been harder to source more in recent weeks to capitalise on more people being at home.
Rebecca Onslow-Cole, co-founder of Croft & Cole, said: “There is the Denmark shortage but there has also been a shift in consumer behaviour in the UK and a pandemic push for people to shop locally or with us online rather than with the larger supermarkets.
“The farmers are working flat out to get trees ready to meet the shift in consumer trends.”
Homebase sources all its Christmas trees in the UK and Pines & Needles says it has harvested more than 100,000 Christmas trees this year, as it always does, from Scotland.
An IKEA spokesperson told The Sun: “In our stores in England and Scotland, we will be stocking Nordmann fir trees grown in Scotland, as we have for a number of years now.
“In Wales, our trees are also locally grown.”
IKEA customers purchasing a real fire tree, priced at £29, can currently get a £20 voucher to redeem across a range of homewares in the new year, making the overall cost of the tree itself just £9.
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Some UK stores are also offering Christmas tree delivery services if you want to beat the crowds.
You can order a Christmas tree online from B&Q and it will deliver from just £19.
Find out where to buy the best real Christmas trees online.
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