Ecobreves – MEXICO: Eye on Native Christmas Tree Sales

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

MEXICO CITY, Dec 17 2009 (IPS) - Faced with competition from foreign species, native Christmas tree growers in the southern area of the Mexican capital are fighting to keep their plantations in business. “This season is fine, thanks to advertizing, and now we want an integrated development plan that includes training, education programs and greater participation by young people,” Patricia Rodríguez, a consultant to the growers, told Tierramérica.

In the Ajusco area, some 200 growers produce the native Mexican white pine (Pinus ayacahuite) on some 200 hectares, which sells for 19 to 46 dollars per tree, depending on size.

In Mexico, around two million Christmas trees are purchased each year, of which 1.6 million come from the United States and Canada.

A program for commercial plantations began more than a decade ago to grow these trees south of Mexico City, which is the country's main forestry market.