NAK: Domestic producers await customers with an ample supply of all pine species

According to their summary sent to MTI on Monday, the lack of rainfall and insect pests caused problems for producers this year, but despite this, the supply is of excellent quality this season as well. According to the organizations’ data, pine trees are grown on about 3,000 hectares in Hungary, mainly in Vas, Zala, and Somogy counties, but many people are also involved in this in the Northern Central Mountains – around the Mátra and Bükk – as well as in the counties of Nógrád and Heves.

In the weeks before Christmas, 1.8-2 million pine trees are planted annually, a significant portion of which, almost 70 percent, is Nordmann pine.

In the past decade, this pine species has become the most popular in Hungary, surpassing the long-lasting spruce and the silver pine, which delights with its bluish needles. The statement recommends that cut pine be preferred for the holidays over “ground ball” pine, as high-quality pine that remains after planting requires special training. If you decide to buy a ground ball pine tree, you should only purchase the plant from an official ornamental tree nursery, they wrote. They emphasized that no matter which variety you choose, the most important thing is to buy from a reliable place, preferably from a producer. Producers appear in almost all settlements in the country.

The pine tree markets start in early December and last until Christmas Eve

After purchasing, it is worth keeping the tree in a cool place – on a terrace, balcony, garage or cellar – but it is not necessary to put it in water, since the cut wood no longer absorbs water. Contrary to popular belief, the pine trees that come to the market do not come from deforestation, but from cultivation on purpose-built plantations. The claim that those who choose artificial pine trees are making an environmentally conscious decision is also not true. While pine trees grown for Christmas trees produce oxygen, the production and destruction of artificial pine trees cause a serious environmental burden. Most artificial pine trees come from China, so their ecological footprint is extremely large. Moreover, according to experience, buyers discard them after 5-6 years, while an artificial pine tree should be used for at least 20 years to be a truly environmentally friendly alternative – they wrote.

MTI