Sanctions have affected Christmas markets: there are fewer trees, prices are higher

This year there are exactly 240 Christmas tree markets in the capital, they will work until December 31. Their location (as it is called in a slightly military way in the documents regulating trade) is reflected on the city portal mos.ru. “Products of the Perm Territory, Bashkiria, and foreign products are presented,” said Alexei Nemeryuk, head of the Department of Trade and Services of the Moscow Government, opening the bazaars. “You can come and buy.”

According to the official, ordinary Christmas trees will cost from 1,000 rubles per linear meter, some varieties are somewhat more expensive, and imported products cost several times more. “Pricing policy is determined by entrepreneurs independently,” Nemeryuk emphasized.

Recall that in early December, prices for Christmas trees in online stores became known – imported products have really seriously increased in price (Danish spruces will cost customers about 10 thousand rubles or more for small trees, at least 20 for medium ones). The reason is obvious: the need to apply complex and expensive import schemes from Europe. And although Russian products have also risen in price, the price gap between “our standard” and “imported premium” has increased markedly.

At the Christmas tree market in the Sokol district, the first visitors, according to sellers, were already half an hour after the opening – at about 8:30. A man with two grandchildren chose imported fir, paying 27,000 rubles for it. Last year, this would have cost about 10 thousand less.

Fir, according to seller Sergei, who has been working at the Moscow Christmas tree markets for the third year in a row, was brought to the markets this year less than before. Even on the first day, there are not so many Christmas trees in the unified fences (recall, they have been used since 2015). But with the current flourishing of online commerce, the point of going to the market is precisely in the possibility of choice.

– I know that you can order a Christmas tree with delivery, – says Galina Alekseevna, a resident of Novopeschanaya Street, who every year on the first day of the bazaars comes to choose a Christmas tree. – But it’s like ordering watermelons on the Internet. This is not a standardized thing, you need to not only buy a Christmas tree, but first of all choose it.

For more than half a century of independent purchase of Christmas trees, Galina Alekseevna, according to her, formulated several rules for herself. First: the needles should be as long as possible. Second: the shape of the tree should be as harmonious as possible. But the most important thing is the condition of the Christmas tree: the needles should not be dry.

“The best way is to chew on a needle, so you won’t be deceived, if it’s juicy, then the tree will last at least until mid-January,” the pensioner says. – But I see the condition of the needles with my eyes, I don’t have to chew anymore.

While Galina Alekseevna at ten o’clock in the morning meticulously chooses a Christmas tree (the usual Russian one, of course – they are on Sokol from the Perm Territory), several of her acquaintances pass by at once, with whom she bows. One of my friends, Elena, also comes up to choose a Christmas tree. “We meet at the Christmas tree markets, as in elections,” the neighbors laugh.

If you think about it, it’s a good analogy: a ritual associated specifically with the choice that the older generation is used to making personally, and the young people prefer Internet solutions … But here, unlike voting, an early arrival is justified: after all, all the best trees can be taken apart!

The first, said the seller Sergey, are always small and at the same time conditioned (fresh) Christmas trees. During the entire trading period, trees of medium size (about 1.5 – 1.7 meters) are evenly bought. Imported trees earlier, when there were more of them in the bazaars, could be purchased almost until December 31 – and they were quite good.

Now the situation has changed – but only in part of the last “rule”. In most Moscow districts, you can just take and buy an imported Christmas tree at the market only in the first days – then they are sold out. It will be safer, of course, to choose on the Internet. Fortunately, the wholesalers are the same.

“I don’t know how they were transporting, I didn’t accompany the truck,” the seller Sergey laughs. – But I heard that instead of one border there were four. Four customs, you know what costs. And they took more than two weeks instead of 3-4 days.

As for small and inexpensive Christmas trees, they are simply sold out in the bazaars shortly after opening. And the concept of “inexpensive” has evolved significantly: at a price of 1 – 1.3 thousand rubles per linear meter (last year up to 1.1 thousand) for a standard Christmas tree, there are practically no trees cheaper than 1000 rubles on the market.

Interestingly, against this background, the city authorities this year decided to set up barriers for illegal Christmas tree growers, who were not really heard of in past years. Nevertheless, according to Ivan Bobrov, head of the State Property Inspectorate, “the inspectors will monitor the territory and prevent unauthorized placement of Christmas tree markets. Violators will also be warned about the need to comply with the requirements of the law.

Meanwhile. Christmas tree markets in Pskov will open on December 22-24. Pskovites will be offered trees with a height of 1 meter or more. The cost of 1 meter – from 500 rubles. Sheared lush triangular Christmas trees will cost 2,000 rubles per meter

In Novosibirsk, Christmas tree markets opened on December 1. They will work until the 31st, a total of 36 points are planned. Prices compared to last year, according to sellers, increased by 30%. The cost starts from 1,500 rubles and reaches 20,000. The most popular among Siberians are 1.5-meter firs – 4,500 rubles apiece.

In Omsk, since December 10, you can buy Christmas trees for every taste. An ordinary Christmas tree this year can be purchased for 1,200 rubles. The most expensive will cost 1,500 rubles. But the cost of pine at the Christmas tree markets in Omsk starts from only 500 rubles apiece. The most expensive New Year’s tree – according to tradition – fir. The range of prices for it ranges from 2,000 to 3,500 rubles. A bouquet of fir branches will sell for 200 rubles.

In Saratov, Christmas tree markets opened on December 15. But not all townspeople will have enough Christmas trees – 17,000 specially grown trees have gone on sale. The age of the fluffy ones is from 6 years to 20. Of the species, Scots pine predominates. For one Christmas tree you will have to pay at least 280 rubles. Really ate (not a meter, but a tree) from 400 rubles.

In Buryatia, the sale of fluffy beauties started on December 12. Prices are very budget, and remained in the range of last year. The cost is directly proportional to the height. If a small Christmas tree 1-1.9 meters will cost 367.2 rubles, then a larger one – 2-2.9 meters – 480 rubles. Further – more: for a 3-3.9-meter beauty, you will have to pay 546 rubles, and for a 4-5-meter one – 672 rubles.

Christmas tree markets in Orenburg have been open since mid-November. The cost of the prickly hostess of the New Year depends on the “fluffiness” and height. The cheapest is pine: from 200 to 1000 rubles apiece. The price of spruce starts from 800 rubles, the most expensive tree will cost Orenburg residents 1,500 rubles. But the purchase of the most beautiful winter beauty – fir – will have to fork out. Prices start from 2,500 to 4,000 rubles.

180 Christmas tree markets have opened in the Donetsk People’s Republic, 98 of which are in the city of Donetsk. Because of the shelling in the central regions, the bazaars are closed. Prices for trees start from 500 to 3,000 rubles. This year they sell mainly pine trees. You can buy a bunch of cut branches for 200-300 rubles.

Christmas tree markets in Ryazan began to work on December 15. Prices: blue spruces (2 meters) – 6,165 rubles, spruces (2 meters) – 1,160 rubles. Ate (175 centimeters) – 896 rubles. Pine (2 meters) – 882 rubles. Cut fir – 255 rubles.

And in Kislovodsk, they generally refused to sell live Christmas trees and pines. Such a ban in the resort city was introduced a few years ago. At the municipal fairs of the city, only artificial spruce and pine trees are sold. The residents of the resort city themselves supported the eco-initiative of the authorities. This was shown by a survey conducted in social networks among the local population – 80% spoke in favor of protecting nature. For artificial winter beauties, sellers ask from about 3 to 30 rubles. But “live” needles in the resort town can still be bought. True, in pots, so that after the celebration of the New Year, a tree could be planted in the soil. The price for such a meter-long spruce starts from 4,000 rubles.