A shortage of suitably sized Christmas trees in the Island’s plantations is highlighting a potential business opportunity for private growers.
The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) has traditionally grown and supplied large trees to churches, schools, local authorities and Government Departments.
The supply of Christmas trees has never been seen as a commercial operation but more of a public service.
These typically larger than domestic size trees have been carefully selected from specially grown plots to ensure they have the best possible shape – important for display in public places.
Due to previous policies, replanting of these plots has been limited and there are fewer large trees available.
This Christmas, DEFA will therefore only supply trees to local authorities, with other customers encouraged to obtain trees via local commercial suppliers.
DEFA says the situation highlights the fact there may be a business opportunity for a commercial grower to acquire land and grow taller trees commercially.
‘While the Department aims to continue to supply the largest of its trees to organisations such as commissioners, it hopes that this change will be positive for the economy in opening up a market for local growers to produce and market trees of different sizes,’ said Richard Ronan MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture.
To discuss the opportunity, contact Andrew Sidebottom, DEFA’s Director of Forestry, Amenity and Lands, on andrew.sidebottom@gov.im or 695704.
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