Sticky, Sweet and Beloved
CANADA
Canada’s province of Quebec tapped into its emergency maple syrup reserve this month amid increasing demand for the beloved product and an ongoing global supply shortage, Fortune Magazine reported.
The Quebec Maple Syrup Producers association said this is the first time in three years that they have turned to their emergency supply. The organization explained that the move came as the global sale of maple syrup rose by almost 37 percent in the last year.
The province is responsible for nearly three-quarters of the world’s maple syrup production: In 2021, the world produced 182 million pounds of maple syrup with Quebec accounting for 133 million pounds.
The organization said the shortage is the result of a shortened harvest caused by the warming climate: This year’s spring season – when maple trees are tapped for their sap – was warmer than usual. For the trees to provide syrup, the weather must be just above freezing during the day, and below freezing at night.
The QMSP said that production this year dropped by about 42 million pounds, from last year’s record high of 175 million pounds.
Even so, the association noted that there is no reason to panic about supplies running completely dry: It is in the process of creating about seven million new tree taps over the course of three years to compensate for the rising global demand.
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