Belgium is the second largest exporter of Christmas trees in Europe
85% of the Christmas trees grown in Wallonia are intended for export. This makes Belgium the second largest European exporter of this holiday hero, after Denmark. Walloon fir tree growers have been hard at work for a month and many trees, especially those sold with the root ball, have already been dug up. The remaining trees are now being cut.
In total, more than 3.5 million fir trees will be uprooted or cut down in Wallonia for the holidays this year. Our Christmas tree production is mainly concentrated in Wallonia, primarily in the Ardennes and then in the provinces of Namur and Liège. Walloon ornamental horticulture is characterised by the quality and great diversity of its production. The cultivation of festive firs represents around 3,120 ha, of which about 80% are Nordmann firs. Domestic demand is estimated at around 800,000 units, with the surplus going abroad. Exports are mainly to France (60%), the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, according to the Ardennes Union of Nurseries. The sector represents an annual turnover of around 60 million euros.
At the ecological level, an organic production charter has been drawn up and will bear fruit in the years to come. There are alternative weeding methods, either mechanical or using Shropshire sheep. And local initiatives have emerged due to the desire to use this historic trade to enter a circular economy.