All indicators are pointing to a good sugar season for Quebec maple syrup producers, who are keen to match last year’s numbers, which turned out to be an all-time record maple syrup harvest.
“The start of the season is going well. The season starts early in most regions of Quebec, even in Bas-Saint-Laurent, where the harvest is used to around March 20th, they started making syrup two weeks ago,” says Joël Vaudeville, Director of Corporate Communications for Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (PPAQ).
He’s hoping to break last year’s record when the province produced more than 211 million pounds of maple syrup.
Maple Syrup Manufacturers from Quebec
He explains that some sugar bushes are already showing good yields, particularly in southern Quebec, near the US border. In addition, the harvested maple water has a higher concentration of sugar, a very encouraging sign of a good cuvée.
However, Mr. Vaudeville is still a long way from a victory, because the temperatures will again have a strong impact on the harvests and the line between a good year and a bad year is fine.
“Two or three days of very hot weather can have a big impact and ruin the whole season,” he says.
winning formula
The formula for success for producers: “- 5 and + 5”. That means temperatures of minus five at night and plus five during the day for maximum production.
However, Quebec maple syrup producers are awaiting the ministerial master plan for the development of maple syrup production in public forests, which was due to be presented by the Quebec government in the fall.
Maple Syrup Manufacturers from Quebec
“We are very unhappy and are asking the minister [des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts Maïté Blanchette Vézina] intervene quickly. There is an urgent need for action,” says Joël Vaudeville.
Currently, 20% of all syrup in Quebec is made in public forests, and the PPAQ wants to increase that number to 30%.
“We have sugarbush expansion projects on hold and we continue to cut without considering the potential for maple syrup. This means that there are very beautiful areas where syrup could be made that are being cut down by forestry,” laments Mr. Vaudeville.
In this file, the producers have the support of 272 communities and 20 RCMs. In mid-March, they also released a public statement on the matter.
“A consensus is emerging in Quebec. Maple should not be treated like any other tree. It holds a special place in our culture and our economy,” said Luc Goulet, President of the PPAQ.
In addition, 85% of the syrup produced in Quebec is exported to around sixty countries, including Asia. The province of La Belle is responsible for 72% of the total world production.
Number of companies producing maple syrup by region in Quebec
- Chaudiere-Appalaches 3176
- Lower St. Lawrence/Gaspé Peninsula 552
- Estria 822
- Center du Quebec 742
- Monteregie 513
- State capital Saguenay/Lac-Saint-Jean 185
- Laurentians, Outaouais, Abitibi-Témiscamingue 171
- Moritz 78
- Lanaudiere, Laval, Montreal 139
(Source: Quebec Maple Syrup Producers Report 2020-2021)
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