The sweet stuff just isn’t flowing. A harsh winter, followed by a cool spring, is causing problems for maple syrup production this year.
The lingering winter weather in many parts of Central Canada means the syrup season has only just begun – at a time when it is typically wrapping up.
And with trees still thawing, the sap is flowing at a trickle.
“It’s like the pipes in Montreal; the roots of the trees are still frozen,” said Louis Robert, a producer from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., whose family has been in the business for 40 years.
This past February was the coldest on record for Quebec, which produces 75 per cent of the world’s maple syrup. And the crisp temperatures in March mean many of the province’s 7,300 producers are behind schedule.
“This year, the season started maybe a little later because it’s cold,” said Yves Barre, another Quebec producer.
The next few days will be critical in deciding whether this year’s season will be up and running.
But if temperatures spike too high too fast, the whole season -- and a whole lot of syrup -- could be lost.
“All April, if it keeps -5 during the night and 5 degrees during the day, it’s going to be all right,” said producer Melanie Charbonneau.
But if you’re worried you won’t get your maple syrup fix this year, fear not: Most producers keep a reserve on hand for less-than-stellar seasons. That includes the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup, which currently has 68,000 barrels of the sweet stuff on hand for such emergencies.
And Quebec’s producers say the cold weather hasn’t slowed people from making their way to sugar bushes and pancake houses across the region.
“It’s an excuse to celebrate spring, whether it’s here or not,” Robert said.
With files from CTV Montreal and Genevieve Beauchemin
