Christmas tree grower says there will be a shortage in UK this year

Christmas tree grower says there will be a shortage in UK this year The man behind 11 UK tree farms says European growers will not be sending their supply over here People in the UK are facing a national Christmas tree shortage, and an expert says Europe will not come to our aid. A combination of blistering summer heatwaves and the El Niño weather system has depleted the UK’s Christmas crop, an expert says. “This year we have seen European growers simply refuse to ship to the UK,” said Josh Lyle, founder of Pines & Needles. “They can sell their entire crop domestically without the paperwork. With the UK already in shortage, that gap becomes very real.” Importing from abroad is more complex than ever due to the additional bureaucracy and logistical challenges after Brexit. For many UK based suppliers, poor growing seasons have long lasting effects. According to Pines and Needles, Christmas trees take around 8–10 years to reach a mature 6–7ft size. Unfortunately, Brexit and the weather are just some of the problems suppliers across the nation are facing. A shortage in labour is also impacting a number of tree farms. Josh said: “We have spoken to farms that have struggled to harvest their trees because they simply do not have the workforce available. This is not a demand issue; it is a lack of hands. “Better access to reliable seasonal labour would make a real difference to the industry.” Pines and Needles operates 11 farms across Scotland. Josh said: “We see supply issues before most retailers do, and we act early." He said many retailers will not be 'fully stocked' this year.