LONGUEUIL, Que.—Quebec’s 13,700 maple producers produced 118 million pounds in 2018, a dramatic 34 million pound drop-off from last year’s record 152.2 million pounds, according to the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers.

The province had 46.8 million taps out for the season, for an average yield of 2.52 pounds per tap, which is low in comparison to previous years, the federation said. 

Most of this production, approximately 89 percent, is for bulk sale. The rest will be sold on the retail market, the federation said.

The federation will tap into its 96.8 million pound strategic reserve of syrup to satisfy the market.

Quebec’s 2018 sugar season saw wide productivity disparities from one region to another. 

In the western part of the province, Montérégie and Centre-du-Québec had a very good, if not excellent season. However in the east, maple producers in Bas-Saint-Laurent/Gaspésie struggled with below-average production levels, the federation reported. 

This was the result of a late spring, very cold weather, and abundant snow. The average production of 2.52 pounds per tap is considered low. Despite the 2.5 million taps added in Quebec in recent years, Québec produced 34 million fewer pounds than last year.  

The average for the last 5 years is 135 million pounds / year produced. 

"The Federation can confirm one thing: with the strategic reserve of syrup, nobody will miss maple syrup from Quebec and the price's stabilized for the consumers, said fedeartion spokeswoman Hélène Normandin. 

ESTIMATE OF 2018 MAPLE SYRUP PRODUCTION BY QUEBEC MAPLE-PRODUCING REGIONS 

Source: AGECO