(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) At least three varieties of these Christmas Tree firs are sold in a row of shops on Hudaiba Street of Al Satwa neighbourhood.
ButaliaGulshan Abdul Gaffor shows the Christmas trees at National Flowers on Al Hudaiba Street in Satwa Dubai. — Supplied photo
A street in Dubai this time of the year smells of the mountains and makes good money.
“We sell 500 Christmas trees a year in December” says the owner of a flower shop in the Satwa neighbourhood of Dubai. The same owner also boasts of once having sold a 13-foot tree for Dh6000 but won’t say to whom whether local or expatriate or when. But orders are placed most regularly by churches he says and “people who live in villas”. From the same gentleman you hear this: “I have two special customers for whom I imported 20-foot trees for Dh25000…”
December is the month when Noble firs Fraser firs and Balsalm firs hit the wholesale market. At least three varieties of these ‘Christmas Tree’ firs are sold in a row of shops on Hudaiba Street of Al Satwa neighbourhood. Some bushy some skinny tall short and all varieties within a price range of Dh400 to Dh1500. Unless it’s an exceptionally large tree.
The math is simple. Small skinny trees are cheaper. Thick bushy ones can cost anything. There is yes room to bargain. Depends like they ask you in wholesale language on how many trees you want.
On a Saturday afternoon a lot of tree transportation was taking place on this lane.
White trucks with painted white cages had backed into parking spots in front of Al Shahama Agriculture National Flowers L.L.C Hamad & Khalid Agriculture Co L.L.C and Fresh Flowers L.L.C. Ask where these trees are from and the uniform answer is: “Canada se” (from Canada).
Gulshan Abdul Gaffor sales manager of National Flowers L.L.C is the son of owner Valiyakath Cheriahammed Mothi Shah or VCM Shah. Gulshan rattles off prices. A six-foot tree is for Dh400 seven-foot tree Dh650 nine-foot tree Dh1200. They can go up to Dh2200. His company imports the Noble firs he says from Oregon Nova Scotia Canada and estimates that they sell 900 trees a season of varied sizes.
Gulshan shares that it’s not just expats and Europeans who come Christmas tree shopping. “Last one week five locals have come to buy for their girlfriends” he says adding on the side make that three.
Three locals last week came to buy trees for their girlfriends. One of whom asked him to “zip his mouth” and they settled the money exchange. He sold him the tree for Dh1000.
For people who don’t want to buy a tree there are baby cypresses also for sale.
The red poinsettia plant here sells for Dh25 a pot.
At Fresh Flowers owner Vicky Venki claims to be the only importer of Christmas tree firs. All others in the lane according to him source theirs from another wholesaler in Dubai.
He offers to brandish his import licence to strengthen his claim. Venki says he imports only the bluish green Fraser firs the best quality according to him.
Frasers have strongest smell. And the longest branches — all the better to bear the weight of the shiny Christmas baubles. -nivritikhaleejtimes.com