The Cop26 conference has driven up the sales of Irish Christmas trees by ten per cent.
Christmas tree growers are having a bumper year thanks to the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Scotland over a two-week period last month.
Former chairman of the Irish Christmas Trees Growers Christy Kavanagh said that the message of “sustainability” from the international conference has driven sales to buy real and local trees.
“There’s no doubt about it sales have boomed since Cop26 which is really positive for everyone working in the industry and for the country as a whole.
“The public has really listened to the Cop26 message. They are also listening to the fact that Irish Christmas trees have a disease free status which many other countries don’t have,” explained Mr Kavanagh.
Mr Kavanagh, along with three generations of his family met with President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina last week at Áras an Uachtaráin to present him with a Christmas tree as he was awarded the prize winner of the National Christmas Tree Competition in 2021.
He was the first-time prize winner in all three categories of tree types and also supreme champion by the Association. This has been the first time any grower has had all three categories, winning best Noble Fir, Nordmann Fir and Korean Fir.
Nationwide sales
Nationwide sales, according to Mr Kavanagh, have also increased on last year by €2.3 million to €25.3 million.
More than 600,000 trees have been sold on the Irish market, conservatively by up to 55,000 on last year. More than 200,000 trees were exported to European markets, such as Germany and France and in the UK, which is a continued yearly increase.
More than 200,000 trees were exported to European markets, such as Germany and France and in the UK, which is a continued yearly increase.
Mr Kavanagh added: “We have had to bring more trees to the market even this past week due to demand being greater than the ready supply.
'Agri-tainment'
“Agri-tainment which is huge in the US seems to be catching on here, and it looks like it will continue to grow hugely. By agritainment I mean visiting the farm, having the growing process explained to them and all that incorporates.”
The Association which runs Operation Hurdle in cooperation with the gardaí since 2011 said the special seasonal operation designed to prevent the theft of Christmas trees in the Wicklow and Dublin areas has not encountered any thefts again this year.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Operation Hurdle which has been running since 2011 has dramatically driven down tree thefts.
Prior to Operation Hurdle criminal gangs had successfully plundered numerous farms across the country, snatching more than 2,000 festive trees annually costing growers more than €100,000.
“Advancements in technology has helped to deter thefts due to ease of tracking them and their movements,” added Mr Kavanagh.
