Amid Shortage, Canada Taps into Emergency Maple Syrup Reserves

Global supply shortages have hit toy shops in the U.S. and coffee producers in Brazil. In Canada, the country's liquid gold - maple syrup - is running low.

The Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP) - the so-called OPEC of maple syrup - has released about 22millionkg from its emergency larder, nearly half the total in reserve.

Booming demand and a shortened harvest had caused the shortfall, QMSP said.

It is the first time in three years the reserve has been used.

"That's why the reserve is made, to never miss maple syrup. And we won't miss maple syrup!" Helene Normandin of QMSP told U.S. public radio.

Quebec produces almost three-quarters of the world's maple syrup. And the QMSP is already planning ahead to next year's harvest, where it will tap an extra 7 million trees. Maple sap is tapped directly from sugar maple trees and boiled to concentrate it into maple syrup.

It's painstaking work and is highly dependent on the weather. Maple trees can only be tapped when temperatures are above freezing during the day, but below freezing at night. A shorter and warmer season this year caused supply to drop by nearly a quarter.

At the same time, global sales of maple syrup jumped by more than 36% over the year before, according to QMSP.

EDITOR’S TAKE:

We have strategic petroleum reserves and Quebec has an Emergency Maple Syrup Reserve. Who knew? This was news to me! But thank goodness they have the ability to even out supply when Mother Nature decides to shorten the season and create a shortage. And, don’t forget the U.S. has a pretty substantial maple syrup industry of its own. Maybe not the size of Quebec, but still an important part of the economy in states like New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Michigan, etc. Maple syrup producers also purchase trucks, tires, oil, upfit beds and much more that you might have available. That’s why we often remind you just how large and diverse American agriculture really is!