DERUYTER, N.Y.—Don’t wait. Stock up on your DE now.

Sugarmakers are being advised to buy their Diatomaceous Earth (DE) earlier rather than later with supply chain issues causing shortages of the valuable filter aid.

At the open house event at Countryside Hardware on Oct. 23 supplier representatives warned sugarmakers of a shortage of DE.

The Maple News has confirmed with DE manufacturers that the product is in limited supply.

“There is currently a shortage on flux calcined DE driven by supply chain issues domestically but mainly overseas and strong demand,” said John Polychronopoulos, regional sales manager for the popular Dicalite DE brand sold by most maple supply houses.

Similar to the many shortages of household goods and building supplies, the DE shortage is being driven by problems with shipping containers.

Polychronopoulos said fires in California near the DE mines in Burney, Calif. have had an impact on trucking.

“Also strong demand domestically and internationally has been driving it,” he said.

Dealers contacted by The Maple News said they have supply of DE but some shipments have been delayed.

“My recommendation to producers is to buy it when they can,” said Sam Bascom, equipment sales manager at Bascom Maple Farms in Alstead, N.H.

Mahlon Hoover of Hoover Maple Supplies in Branchport, N.Y. said he had some pallet loads of DE but worried over a run on the product if producers panic over a shortage.

Clayton Christie of Maple Expert Solutions in Henniker, N.H. has become one of the biggest distributors of DE in New England over the years, annually procuring an entire railroad car of DE for his customers.

He told The Maple News last month that his railroad car is two-weeks delayed but he will have enough DE for his customers.

“We are organized enough to cover the amount we sold last year but the last minute buyer will have issues,” Christie said.

Peter Roth of Roth Sugar Bush in Cadott, Wisc. said his store is in good supply of DE.

“We see no problems with supply of filter aid, but you have to remember that CDL plans up to a year ahead on their products and has a team dedicated to keeping inventory ahead in these trying times,” Roth said.

DE is a chemically inert filter aid and filler used in a variety of food and beverage, industrial, chemical, and specialty filtration, filler and functional additive applications.

Diatoms have a wide variety of shapes and a honeycomb-like structure.

It’s the pores within and between the cell walls that trap solids from liquids.

This helps give syrup that clear, attractive appearance.