Plastic is out and natural is in as sales of real Christmas trees increase in Ireland.
The Christmas tree farm in Glenealy County Wicklow is one of three Christmas tree farms operated by the Coillte, the Irish Forestry Board. Two others are in County Roscommon and County Tipperary.
Trees in Glenealy are grown for sale in Ireland and for the export market.
Judging by demand, it appears that plastic is out for the moment and natural is in.
One customer says he prefers a real tree over an artificial tree because of the smell of the pine.
Bill Murphy, Coillte, points to the environmental benefits of real Christmas trees. Trees can be recycled, take in carbon dioxide and no petrochemicals are used to produce them. There is a concentration on growing high-quality noble fir trees which are in demand across Europe.
Christmas tree farming is a relatively new business in Ireland. Trees are taken from the forest as thinnings and grown in controlled environments for sale. These trees require year-round pruning and shaping to meet consumer demands.
In 1994, Coillte produced over a hundred thousand trees. When its farms are in full production by 1998, it expects to produce four times this number with an eye on the export market.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 17 December 1994. The reporter is Carole Coleman.
