20 Dec 2017

Merry havoc as demand soars for Christmas trees

2:34 pm on 20 December 2017

More people are going back to their roots, preferring a real Christmas tree over plastic this year.

A Hastings tree farm sold out a week ago and the company has been fielding hundreds of calls since. In Auckland, a tree farm has doubled its sales over the past three years.

However, prices seem to vary considerably from region to region.

A tree from Mount Gabriel tree farm in Drury will cost you around $20 or $30, while in Waikato, Hawke's Bay, and most places in the South Island pay $40. In Taupō and Wellington, foliage fans have been forking out around $60 or $70.

Sue Quigley, who bought her tree in Wellington for $70 at a fundraiser, said the price was on the steep side.

"I think because it was a fundraiser we thought it was OK, but normally we'd only want to spend around $50 or $40.

Sue and Elizabeth Quigley paid $70 for their tree, feel that $40 would be an ideal price.

Sue and Elizabeth Quigley paid $70 for their tree, but feel that $40 would be an ideal price. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

"Forty feels about right, you feel good if you get a nice tree for 40."

Brian Clark also paid $70, and said it was a privilege to be able to afford one.

"We're lucky to be able to afford that much for a tree and still eat and there's a lot of people not too far from here that would struggle with that. So, it's a privilege isn't it."

Christmas trees prices vary across the country, with the top prices in Wellington.

Christmas trees prices vary across the country, with the top prices in Wellington. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Ashley Commerer who has run a Christmas tree farm in Auckland for 30 years said he tried to keep his prices down.

He said coming to a farm was generally cheaper than buying pre-cut trees no matter where in the country you were.

"I think the big problem with those trees on the street is actually buying them off the farmers - you know, you can buy 6-to-7-foot trees for like $9 - so how they manage to get them from $9 to $70 I have no idea."

Vanessa Clarke also runs a tree farm in Waikato and said people came to a tree farm to get into the Christmas spirit.

"It's amazing how many kids get pleasure from coming and carrying the pole to measure the tree - just little things like that."

She said getting a tree straight from a farm also meant you could be sure it was fresh.

"You don't know how long that tree has either been sitting on the back of a ute, been sitting in a container, or its been sitting in a hot shop. So, I mean you don't know what sort of condition that tree is in when you're purchasing it."

Justin Martin his helping the Te Aro Community Centre with selling Christmas trees for a fundraiser, profits go back inot the community.

Justin Martin is helping the Te Aro Community Centre with selling Christmas trees for a fundraiser, profits go back into the community. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Phill Campbell runs a tree farm with his family north of Wellington.

He sells his trees wholesale to his children, who sell them at different sites around the region.

Trees cost $10 for each 30 centimetres.

Christmas trees prices vary across the country, with the top prices in Wellington.

Christmas trees prices vary across the country, with the top prices in Wellington. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Mr Campbell said not everybody had time to come out to a farm.

"People are time-poor, the stuff that we sell on the side of the road that's probably more of a convenience thing for most people. But also I think we offer a little bit of an experience there as well. You know, people like to choose their tree as such."

Mr Campbell said it was important to check trees sold on the roadside had been well looked after.

"We're probably a little more organised and professional than a ute sitting on the side of the road," he said.

"We've got a couple of 20-foot containers and they're ex-refrigeration containers so they've been insulated. We also only harvest late in the afternoon, if we have to travel distances we do it at night so it keeps the trees cool. We then re-cut them and stand them in water."

John Washburn on the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. He found the price reasonable.

John Washburn knows there is an art to finding the perfect Christmas tree. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

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