US port slowdown may delay export of Xmas trees to Asia

Seattle

A SLOWDOWN at a busy Washington state port amid a labour dispute could mean that thousands of Christmas trees grown in the Pacific Northwest will not be shipped in time to meet holiday demand in Asia, industry officials said. Some eight to 10 million evergreen trees grown in Washington state and Oregon are sold as Christmas trees each year, many destined for markets in Asia, Canada and Mexico, said Bryan Ostlund, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association.

Trees that should have already left the Port of Tacoma for cities such as Hong Kong and Tokyo have been languishing in shipping containers for about two weeks, he said. The ocean voyage from Washington state to Asia takes about 23 days. "Trees are a perishable commodity, so the clock is ticking," Mr Ostlund said on Monday, adding Tacoma was the primary port for tree shipments. "If they get there too late for the selling season, now what do you do with them?" he said.