Belgium ranks high in Christmas tree market

22 December 2005

BRUSSELS — When it comes to Christmas trees, Belgium tops most other EU countries — it exported a total of EUR 5 million in pine trees to other member states in 2004.

Belgium is therefore ranked second in terms of the biggest European Christmas tree exporters, trailing only Denmark.

With EUR 44 million in Christmas tree exports, Denmark is unmatched in the industry, the EU statistics office Eurostat said on Thursday.

Christmas trees are primarily exported to Germany, with the Germans spending EUR 26 million on pine trees last year.

That is considerably more than Britain (EUR 9 million) and France (EUR 8 million). Both countries are ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively.

According to Eurostat, the typical Christmas purchases are more than just pine trees. There are also the electric decorations, good for an import price of EUR 220 million in 2004.

But there are also different sorts of Christmas tree balls, candles, bullocks, donkeys, sheep and other colorful knickknacks that are bought at this time of year.

In 2004, the entire European Union imported EUR 600 million in Christmas decorations. The British accounted for EUR 226 million, the Germans EUR 115 and the Italians EUR 108 million.

Subject: Belgian news