If you buy your Christmas tree from a local farmer, it comes from the Buffalo Valley Produce Auction is a very safe option.

This year, more than 35,000 trees were auctioned to buyers on the East Coast. Buyers have to deal with snow.

“You can’t see the trees you are buying because they are covered in snow,” says Kevin LaTourette.

Mark Kutz said: “We have a blackout, just getting rid of the snow.”

Buyers told Newswatch 16, they are also very depressed, because the price of the Christmas tree this year is much higher.

“Prices are through the roof compared to other years,” LaTourette said.

Keven LaTourette has a tree farm in Honesdale. He said that it all depends on supply and demand.

“Growers no longer increase the number of trees as they have in the past. North Carolina does not plant trees as it used to,” LaTourette said.

To make up for this deficiency, there are about 35,000 Christmas trees at this year’s auction. There were about 50,000 last year, and 80,000 three years ago.

“Many people just don’t have the way to plant a few years and trees. It doesn’t happen every year. It’s planted for one year and six years, and after seven years you harvest. We may have been out of stock for a few years,” Said.

“The shortage of the Christmas tree is pushing the price of the Christmas tree up. You will see it in the local woods now,” said George Smith.

George Smith has a Christmas tree company in New York City. He told Newswatch 16 that he had paid $15 at the auction and now sells for more than $50.

“The most important thing is that people will pay more for the Christmas tree. Yes, I said it will increase by 18%, 20%,” Smith said.

Some buyers are worried that people will switch to artificial trees because the price of real trees is so high.