PORTLAND, Me., Nov. 29— A glut of Christmas trees and the popularity of artificial trees have industry insiders worried that this may be a tough holiday season for growers and sellers.
"There aren't enough people for all the trees," said Albert Gondeck, executive director of the Maine Christmas Tree Growers Association, which represents 250 growers.
Christmas tree growers are expected to harvest about 850,000 trees across northern New England this season.
Also, 46 percent of homes nationwide that display trees use artificial ones, Marshall Patmos, a Christmas tree specialist with the University of New Hampshire, said.
Because of the glut, some live trees are being sold in New England for as little as $5 each, Mr. Patmos said, instead of the typical $18 to $30.
