To meet the growing demand for maple products and the very small 2023 harvest, seven million new taps have been approved for start-up and expansion projects in Quebec.
This addition represents an increase in long-term production capacity of more than 21 million pounds of maple syrup per year, said the Producteurs et Producers Acéricoles du Québec (PPAQ), which manages the world reserves of maple syrup. Maple.
This will increase the total number of taps to a potential 62.5 million taps by April 2026, increasing sales and exports.
“We are thrilled to welcome 739 new maple syrup producers to our large family and help 1,871 businesses grow by adding taps to their maple groves,” said PPAQ President Luc Goulet.
“All in all, we will seek to achieve our goal of replenishing reserves within five years while continuing to meet demand for maple syrup here and in more than 70 countries,” he said. added.
The issuance of new taps by the PPAQ is due to a decision of its board, particularly due to the low harvest in 2023.
According to Statistics Canada, total production of maple products in Quebec was 9.4 million gallons in 2023, a decrease of 41.3% compared to 2022. This is the lowest level since 2018, particularly due to the ice storm at the end of spring.