Production history
editIn 2000 CNN estimated total European Christmas tree production at a 60 million tree total harvest with around 600 million trees growing at any one given time.[1]
Austria
editA full 85 percent of Austrian grown Christmas trees are Nordmann fir.[2]
Belgium
editDenmark
editDenmark is Europe's leading exporter of Christmas trees.[3] For instance, in 1999 Denmark produced between 6–7 million Christmas trees annually, of that number between 500,000–700,000 were consumed domestically.[3] The rest were exported to the rest of Europe with Germany importing 60–70 percent of those trees.[3]
France
editAround 55 percent of natural Christmas trees grown in France are Nordmann fir.[2]
Germany
edit70 percent of Christmas trees grown in Germany are Nordmann fir.[2]
Ireland
editIreland produced around 600,000 Christmas trees for domestic and foreign markets in 2007, representing a decrease over previous years.[4] Irish Christmas trees are exported to Britain, France, Norway and other European countries.[4] In 2007, Irish grown Christmas trees sold for less than 35 euro on the domestic market.[4] 2007 exports to Great Britain went up by 20 percent due to a decrease in Britain of trees imported from Denmark.[4] A May 2006 fact sheet from Teagasc stated that annual production of Christmas trees in Ireland was between 300,000-500,000 trees.[5] In general the domestic market in Ireland demands about 400,000 Christmas trees each year.[5] The Noble fir is the most commonly grown species in Ireland.[5]
Norway
editMost Christmas trees grown in Norway come from two places, Rogaland and Sørlandet. Despite the small domestic production capability, Norway still imports trees from top European Christmas tree producer Denmark.[6]
In 2003-2004 Norway went from exporting no domestically produced Christmas trees to exporting 2500 in 2006 and 140,000 in 2009.[7] Norwegian grown Christmas trees are exported to Germany, England, Austria and Switzerland. In addition, between 2003 and 2009 Norwegian imports of Christmas trees dropped by 40 percent.[7] In 2009 the market for Christmas trees was valued around a half billion kroner, represented by a demand for about 2 million Christmas trees.[7]
As of 2007, the foreign market for Norwegian Christmas trees emerged only a few years previous. At that time the country was exporting trees to England. By mid-November 2007 a demand for Norway-produced trees was growing in Germany and 1,000 trees had already been shipped south. By the end of the year up to 15,000 trees were exported to Germany.[6] About 50 percent of Norwegian grown trees are of the species Nordmann fir.[2]
Poland
editIn 2002 the market for Christmas tree sales in Poland was an estimated 10 million units, including artificial, and domestic and imported natural trees.[8] Around 40 percent of natural Christmas trees grown in Poland are Nordmann fir.[2] Production of natural Christmas trees in Poland far outpaces the demand for the product and has for a significant amount of time. Poland's largest supplier of natural Christmas trees, Lasy Państwowe, asserted it could produce twice what is currently sold within the nation.[8] Most Polish Christmas tree plantations, which developed on a large scale from 1992–2002, are in the Mazuria and Lower Silesia regions.[8] In 2002, Poland imported at least 200,000 trees from Germany and Denmark.[8]
There is also a robust market for artificial Christmas trees in Poland. An estimated 20 percent of all Christmas trees sold in Poland are artificial, and many are made domestically by individual families. One producer from Koziegłówki stated that every other house was an artificial tree producers. The trees are made from a special film which is imported from China or Thailand. Entire families take part in production and the trees are sold throughout Poland with some being exported to the Czech Republic and Slovakia.[8]
United Kingdom
editAbout half of Christmas trees grown in Great Britain are of the Nordmann fir variety.[2]
Sweden
editOf Christmas trees grown in Sweden, 50 percent of them are Nordmann fir.[2]
Notes
edit- ^ Sussman, Paul. "Green gold: trading in stolen Christmas trees", CNNc.om, December 11, 2000, accessed September 23, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Harsh winters leave Europe facing a Christmas tree shortage", The Independent, December 3, 2010, accessed September 23, 2012.
- ^ a b c Frampton, John and McKinley, Craig. "Christmas Trees and Greenery in Denmark: Production and Tree Improvement," American Christmas Tree Journal, 1999, Vol. 43(2):4-11, accessed September 23, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Ryan, Ray. "Growers warn of Christmas tree shortage ahead of holiday period", Irish Examiner, October 30, 2007, accessed September 23, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Christmas Tree Production", Fact Sheet, Teagasc, Agricultural and Food Development Authority, Fact Sheet No. 30, May 2006, accessed September 23, 2012.
- ^ a b "Norwegian Christmas trees bound for Germany," Aftenposten, November 19, 2008, accessed April 15, 2008.
- ^ a b c "Norwegian trees spread Christmas happiness abroad", (press release), Ministry of Agriculture and Food, February 12, 2009, accessed September 23, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Pining Fir the Holidays," Warsaw Voice, December 19, 2002, accessed April 15, 2008.