Quebec's reserves of maple syrup almost depleted, says new report
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report → deplete → syrup
Province's producers ask government for financial support, help finding new markets abroad
The head of Quebec's maple syrup producers' association says the province's strategic syrup reserve has run dry amid high demand for the product.
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reserve → ask → product
Québec Maple Syrup Producers president Luc Goulet says government support will be needed to ensure the industry doesn't miss out on opportunities to grow the sector.
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industry → say → sector
Maple syrup yields depend on weather conditions.
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yields → depend → conditions
As a result, the producers' association has established a strategic reserve to ensure prices and supply remain relatively stable.
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prices → establish → reserve
Last year, U.S. commercial customers stocked up, fearing that U.S. President Donald Trump would carry out his threat to impose tariffs.
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Trump → stock → tariffs
Goulet says the buffer has been exhausted as sales continue to rise.
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sales → say → ?
"Our strategic reserve has been reduced to zero," Goulet said in an interview at the release of a report on the industry's economic benefits.
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Goulet → reduce → benefits
That means the industry could lose customers if weather conditions are less favourable for maple sap flow, he said.
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he → mean → flow
Goulet cites the stock shortages in 2007 and 2008 as an example.
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Goulet → cite → example
"We lost some markets because the product wasn’t available," Goulet said.
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Goulet → lose → markets
"Then, consumers very quickly turn to another sweet product.
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consumers → turn → product
And once that happens, those consumption habits are established."
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habits → happen → ?
Quebec maple syrup is gaining market share abroad, according to the president of the Maple Industry Council, which represents authorized buyers.
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which → gain → buyers
Louis Turenne notes that exports increased by 9.34 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year.
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exports → note → year
The pace accelerated in 2025 with a 15.8 per cent increase as the threat of new tariffs loomed over the industry.
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threat → accelerate → industry
In 2026, exports rose at a slower rate — 2.48 per cent from January through August compared to the same period the previous year.
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exports → rise → period
"It's always hard to beat an exceptional year," Turenne said.
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Turenne → beat → year
Currently, nearly 65 per cent of maple syrup exports go to the United States.
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cent → go → States
Goulet acknowledges that satisfying the demand of eager consumers is a nice problem to have.
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satisfying → acknowledge → consumers
However, he believes the industry can still grow.
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industry → believe → ?
"There is still a great deal of untapped potential in Quebec’s maple groves," he said.
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he → be → groves
Investments from Quebec City "are too low for our liking," says Goulet, who hopes to have the ear of the newly elected Parti Québécois government.
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who → say → government
"When we’re told that we have an industry that's thriving, that we’re growing, and that we don’t need support — well, I no longer accept that line of reasoning at the government level," he said.
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he → tell → level
For his part, Turenne believes that Quebec could encourage increased production by providing financial support to producers, and helping processors in their search for new markets abroad.
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Quebec → believe → markets
Currently, nearly 65 per cent of maple syrup exports go to the United States.
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cent → go → States
"We’ve made significant progress in diversifying our markets in recent years.
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We → make → years
Twenty years ago, that figure was 80 per cent," Turenne said.
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Turenne → say → ?
“But we need to accelerate the opening and development of European, Australian, and Asian markets to become less dependent on the U.S. market,” he said.
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he → need → market
While the maple leaf graces the Canadian flag, the syrup industry is heavily concentrated in Quebec.
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industry → grace → Quebec
More than 70 per cent of North American production is in the province, according to the industry group's report, released Thursday.
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cent → accord → report
When production, processing, and specialized equipment manufacturers are included, the maple syrup industry contributed $1.21 billion to the gross domestic product in 2025, the report said.
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report → include → 2025
In total, the sector employs more than 10,000 full-time equivalent workers and generated $285 million in tax revenue, excluding municipal taxes and fees for the lease of public lands.
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sector → employ → lands
This figure does not include the sugar shacks that many Quebecers visit in the spring.
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Quebecers → include → spring
"Sugar shack operations are more akin to the restaurant industry," Turenne said.
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Turenne → say → industry
The maple syrup producers' group used the recent election campaign to highlight the industry's importance as an employer and economic driver, and Goulet says the candidates were often surprised by the important role it played.
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it → use → role
In some municipalities, "if you take away maple syrup production, you might as well shut down the villages," Goulet said.
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Goulet → take → villages
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