Christmas tree prices up in Britain

London -- A short supply of Christmas trees for export from Denmark means British families are paying higher prices for trees this year.

The Nordmann tree from Denmark is the most popular in Britain, The Daily Mail reports. Prices this weekend are running as high as $86, up from about $70 last year.

The problem is that a few years ago too many Danish farmers were growing Christmas trees, causing a price crash. Many switched to other crops, a move that was encouraged by changes in EU subsidies in 2005.
Only 500,000 trees were shipped from Denmark to Britain this year, one-third the number shipped in past years.

While the high prices are bringing more farmers back to Christmas trees in both Denmark and Britain, Nordmann trees need 10 years to grow 6 feet tall. Kaj Ustergaard of the Danish Christmas Tree Growers Association called the Nordmann the "Rolls Royce of Christmas trees," saying it is prized for its long needles and its dark-green color.

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Copyright 2007 by United Press International.