Fewer Christmas Trees For Sale Amid Supply Chain Issues In NJ

NEW JERSEY — Christmas tree retailers throughout New Jersey are dealing with supply chain issues as the holiday season approaches.

The COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing economic recovery has overwhelmed the U.S. supply chain with increased demand for consumer goods, raw materials and transportation.

The supply chain overload means that there will be fewer Christmas trees available for purchase this season, and those that are available will come with a higher price tag.

“When supply is short for those tree lots, the cost goes way up,” said Tim Dunne, vice president of the New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers Association. “Trees have doubled in price at some of these lots. In the farms, they’re relatively stable.”

Places hit hardest by the shortage are tree lots located in suburbs and cities, according to Dunne. Tree supply has been more stable at choose-and-cut farms across New Jersey.

Dunne is the owner of Woodsedge Tree Farm in Belvidere, which currently has hundreds of five to eight-foot trees available for the coming weeks.

“I would encourage people to come out to a farm,” Dunne said. “Some of those trees at lots are cut a long time ago but at the farm, it’s cut the day that you visit and it can’t get fresher than that.”

The New Jersey Christmas Tree Association has a list of tree farms by county online.

Dunne has been hearing about supply chain issues for months, beginning as early as June.

“A lot of trees are shipped from the western United States and they had some very warm temperatures in June when trees had new growth, and that new growth burned up,” Dunne said.

An industry insider with the American Christmas Tree Association has advised shoppers to choose a Christmas tree as soon as possible.

"If I can give one piece of advice to consumers right now, it is to find and buy your Christmas tree early," American Christmas Tree Association Executive Director Jami Warner said.

"Consumers who delay their tree purchase will face limited selection and fewer options than in years past," the association noted in a consumer advice news release.