Shortage driving up Christmas tree prices in the Carolinas

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There is a shortage of Christmas trees in North Carolina this year and that is driving up prices for them across the Charlotte region.

The increase is only by a few dollars but local businesses say North Carolina farms are providing them with trees that just aren't old enough.

"They'll be too many one year or maybe five or six years, and then there won't be enough for three to four years,” said Norman Simpson with Simpson Family Christmas Tree Lot. “It just works in cycles like that. It always has."

Simpson told Channel 9 he prefers trees that are at least seven or eight years old.

North Carolina is one of the top producers of Christmas trees in the nation. The other top-producing states are Oregon, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington.

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