The Nova Scotia government hopes to expand export markets for Christmas Tree growers .
Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell announced $751,000 to the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia on Wednesday in New Ross.
The money will be doled out over three years and will help the Council establish a research and development plan and quality standards.
Executive Director, Angus Bonnyman, says they will also be able to showcase SMART trees which were designed after more than seven years of research at Dalhousie’s Agricultural College in Truro.
“Looking for the best genetics in nature that would have the tree retain its needles as long as possible and that for us is really important because it helps open up new markets because we’re able to ship our trees further around the world.”
Christmas trees from Nova Scotia are already exported to places like the United States, Caribbean and Panama.
“While we are looking to increase the volume of production in Nova Scotia and do that more efficiently, our focus is really on quality and finding the markets that will offer the best return,” says Bonnyman.
Currently Nova Scotian growers have more than 15,000 acres in production of Christmas trees, with an annual harvest of more than one million.
Bonnyman says the Christmas Tree industry has seen significant increases in export sales since 2016 aside from 2018 after a serious freeze significantly impacted tree growth in Nova Scotia.
(Photo Courtesy: Department of Agriculture)
Reported by: Nick Yorston
Twitter: @NickYorston
E-mail: yorston.nick@radioabl.ca
