RICHLAND, Wash. –
The Holidays are in full swing and people are out shopping for the perfect gift. The tree you put them under will cost a little more this year.
Inflation is increasing more than just your gas and food prices this year.
Christmas trees are on that list as well.
Brian Keele the owner of Queensgate Gardens in Richland says he purchases his trees from Portland to avoid the extra costs.
Keele says “The benefit to us here is they’re more readily available and the shipping is a little bit more affordable.”
Kyle Beus is the owner of the Angel Brook Christmas tree lot in Pasco and he gets his tree from Oregon and western Washington.
Beus says ” Oregon produces more Christmas trees than any other state in the United States. That’s kind of nice for us because it’s a four-hour haul. We work in small farms and we get them nice and fresh and get them over there for everyone.”
The cost of trees might be up, but you as a consumer won’t have a problem finding one.
86% of consumers had no trouble finding a tree in 2021. The same goes for this year. That’s according to a report by The Real Christmas Tree Board.
The only difference they see is the increase in prices.
Beus says he’s not increased his prices, but instead is taking on the costs.
He says the best way to battle inflation is to diversify.
Beus says ” I didn’t raise my prices hardly anything, but we absorbed a little bit of it. Which is ok with us because we sell a lot of volumes and it’s kind of nice to pass it along.”
Keele says it’s hard to say how it’s affecting his sales and the way he fights inflation.