Statistical Overview of the Canadian Maple Industry, 2023

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Overview

Canada and the US are the only countries who produce maple syrup at commercial scale. In 2023 the Canadian maple syrup industry accounted for approximately 71% of the total world maple syrup production, with 89.9% of Canadian production originating from Quebec, 5.1% from New Brunswick, 4.8% from Ontario, and less than 1% from Nova Scotia. The United States is the second-largest producer, accounting for approximately 29% of global production, with 48.9% of United States production originating from Vermont, 17.9% from New York, and 11.2% from Maine. Maple products accounted for 3.7% of all Canadian horticulture^{Endnote 1} farm cash receipts^{Endnote 2} in 2023.

Contrary to the general trend in agriculture where a decrease in the number of farms was observed in previous censuses following the long-term trend towards fewer and larger operations, the number of maple product farms increased by 19.2% from 2016 (5,340 farms) to 2021 (6,364 farms). This growth was most notable in Quebec, where in recent years, there has been an increasing trend in the number of producers participating in maple syrup production. This growth in the number of producers is driven by the 2017 addition of 5 million maple 'taps' by the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP) who control the quantity of production in that province and maintain a strategic reserve of maple syrup to minimize fluctuations in pricing and availability of supply, which is driven by natural variability in annual production.

Canadian maple producers harvested 10.4 million gallons of maple syrup in 2023, down 40.1% from the record-high production in 2022, and 21.8% lower than the 5-year average. Production fell in all maple-producing provinces, largely due to unfavourable weather such as severe storms and unfavorable temperature fluctuations, leading to lower yields in 2023.

In 2023, the total production of maple syrup in Quebec was 56.2 million kilograms (9.4 million gallons), a 41.3% decrease from 2022.

Canadian maple syrup exports totaled 64.9 million kilograms (10.8 million gallons) in 2023, a decrease of 6.7% from the 69.6 million kilograms exported in 2022. In terms of value, Canadian exports of maple products amounted to $615 million in 2023, down 0.2% from 2022. Canadian maple products were exported to 67 different countries around the world in 2023; 62.1% of the exports were to the United States, 7.3% to Germany, 5.3% to France, 5.2% to the United Kingdom, 4.1% to Australia, and 3.9% to Japan, and with the other export destinations accounting for the remaining 16.0% of total export volumes.

1. Production

1.1 Number of maple farms^{Table 1.1 note 1} by province

Number of maple farms by province
	2011	2016	2021	2021 % Share
Newfoundland and Labrador	1	0	0	0.0%
Prince Edward Island	2	1	2	0.0%
Nova Scotia	36	48	39	0.6%
New Brunswick	108	111	114	1.8%
Quebec	4,674	4,776	5,812	91.3%
Ontario	416	391	389	6.1%
Manitoba	6	6	5	0.1%
Saskatchewan	0	2	1	0.0%
Alberta	0	0	0	0.0%
British Columbia	5	5	2	0.0%
Canada	5,248	5,340	6,364	100.0%
Note: Table 1.1 note [1] Number of farms includes all farms reported maple taps and on which maple syrup production represents 50% or more of total farm cash receipts. Return to table 1.1 note [1] referrer Source: Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0166-01 Farms classified by farm type, Census of Agriculture historical data

1.2. Number of maple taps by province

Number of maple taps by province
	2011	2016	2021	2021 % Share
Newfoundland and Labrador	x	0	0	0.0%
Prince Edward Island	9,693	9,760	10,299	0.0%
Nova Scotia	9,693	9,760	10,299	0.0%
New Brunswick	1,896,773	2,285,785	3,523,948	6.4%
Quebec	40,632,512	42,529,033	48,672,648	89.1%
Ontario	1,508,651	1,713,022	2,013,549	3.7%
Manitoba	8,251	5,961	4,581	0.0%
Saskatchewan	5,917	1,490	332	0.0%
Alberta	x	0	0	0.0%
British Columbia	3,609	4,009	1,851	0.0%
Canada	44,440,024	46,995,360	54,647,591	100.0%
Note: x: Suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act. Source: Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0161-01 Maple taps, Census of Agriculture historical data

1.3. Maple syrup production^{Table 1.3 note 1} by province (kilograms)

Maple syrup production1 by province (kilograms)
	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2023 % Share
Nova Scotia	420,630	336,504	216,324	F	F	N/A
New Brunswick	3,593,382	3,371,049	4,723,074	4,873,299	3,166,743	5.1%
Quebec	72,306,297	79,438,980	60,252,243	95,843,550	56,244,240	89.8%
Ontario	3,016,518	2,806,203	2,776,158	3,545,310	3,016,518	4.8%
Canada	79,342,836	85,952,736	67,967,799	104,592,654	62,625,798	100.0%
Notes: Table 1.3 note [1] Maple products such as taffy, sugar and maple butter have been converted to syrup equivalent. Return to table 3 note [1] referrer F: Too unreliable to be published. N/A: Not applicable. Source: Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0354-01 Production and value of maple products (× 1,000)

1.4. Production of maple products – 15-year trend

Description of above image

Year	Metric tons
2009	54,550
2010	43,709
2011	51,383
2012	47,201
2013	60,408
2014	56,989
2015	53,528
2016	73,069
2017	75,185
2018	58,864
2019	79,343
2020	85,953
2021	67,968
2022	104,593
2023	62,626

1.5. Farm cash receipts of maple products by province (thousands of Canadian dollars)

	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2023 % Share
Nova Scotia	3,837	2,840	1,943	2,961	1,820	0.4%
New Brunswick	23,198	20,610	31,642	32,991	20,735	4.9%
Quebec	461,503	510,747	390,763	621,558	374,472	88.1%
Ontario	25,897	24,973	25,725	31,214	28,167	6.6%
Canada	514,434	559,170	450,072	688,724	425,194	100.0%
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0045-01 Farm cash receipts, annual (× 1,000)

2. Trade

2.1. Trade balance

2.1.1. Maple products^{Table 2.1.1 note 1} exports by province – by value (thousands of Canadian dollars)

	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2023 % Share
Newfoundland and Labrador	5,253	0	0	0	0	0.0%
Prince Edward Island	2,726	7,480	170,725	0	0	0.0%
Nova Scotia	209,698	196,280	382,818	326,011	584,131	0.1%
New Brunswick	10,810,659	13,859,058	15,238,117	17,770,645	12,598,464	2.0%
Quebec	417,485,830	496,826,964	569,489,609	594,400,888	597,442,072	97.1%
Ontario	963,245	4,200,036	5,215,331	2,898,854	4,074,703	0.7%
Manitoba	0	0	0	44,064	0	0.0%
Saskatchewan	0	0	0	0	106,150	0.0%
Alberta	73,750	66	1,068	0	0	0.0%
British Columbia	393,087	355,265	462,228	585,756	165,446	0.0%
Canada	429,944,248	515,445,149	590,959,896	616,026,218	614,970,966	100.0%
Note: Table 2.1.1 note [1] Maple products such as taffy, sugar and maple butter have been converted to syrup equivalent. Return to table 2.1.1 note [1] referrer Source: Statistics Canada (CATSNet, April 2024)

2.1.2. Maple products^{Table 2.1.2 note 1} exports by province – by volume (kilograms)

	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2023 % Share
Newfoundland and Labrador	501	0	0	0	0	0.0%
Prince Edward Island	254	808	20,377	0	0	0.0%
Nova Scotia	19,297	31,119	45,293	28,242	59,731	0.1%
New Brunswick	1,339,734	1,585,644	1,674,914	1,824,363	1,298,568	2.0%
Quebec	49,178,196	59,000,218	70,658,798	67,327,543	63,017,347	97.1%
Ontario	135,161	676,639	764,229	345,639	531,322	0.8%
Manitoba	0	0	0	4,105	0	0.0%
Saskatchewan	0	0	0	0	9,437	0.0%
Alberta	12,708	7	112	0	0	0.0%
British Columbia	34,319	32,508	41,328	60,647	15,168	0.0%
Canada	50,720,170	61,326,943	73,205,051	69,590,539	64,931,573	100.0%
Note: Table 2.1.2 note [1] Maple Products include both maple sugar and maple syrup. Return to table 2.1.2 note [1] referrer Source: Statistics Canada (CATSNet, April 2024)

2.1.3. Top maple products export destinations – by value (thousands of Canadian dollars)

	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2023 % Share
United States	266,559	304,347	348,682	381,204	376,402	61.2%
Germany	42,121	50,381	55,347	60,336	47,703	7.8%
France	16,705	22,438	27,947	30,656	31,621	5.1%
United Kingdom	21,698	30,753	34,163	30,628	29,927	4.9%
Australia	18,832	26,870	23,736	26,115	27,160	4.4%
Japan	23,441	24,788	33,486	27,713	25,765	4.2%
Slovenia	5	0	0	0	14,593	2.4%
Denmark	7,510	8,710	9,119	9,038	9,845	1.6%
South Korea	4,720	7,746	9,752	9,779	6,680	1.1%
Netherlands	4,032	5,221	6,592	5,197	6,283	1.0%
Others	24,320	34,191	42,134	35,361	39,107	6.4%
Total	429,944	515,445	590,960	616,026	615,086	100.0%
Source: Statistics Canada (CATSNet, April 2024)

2.1.4. Top maple products export destinations – by volume (kilograms)

	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2023 % Share
United States	32,121,874	36,971,390	44,487,456	44,553,308	40,325,614	62.1%
Germany	4,867,966	5,489,090	6,339,164	6,424,852	4,755,689	7.3%
France	2,103,193	2,975,166	4,326,908	3,127,415	3,438,777	5.3%
United Kingdom	2,467,531	3,597,468	3,910,476	3,586,007	3,387,164	5.2%
Australia	2,114,086	3,046,168	2,683,484	2,752,890	2,665,500	4.1%
Japan	2,506,567	2,724,174	3,563,452	2,772,370	2,516,856	3.9%
Slovenia	486	0	0	0	1,484,306	2.3%
Denmark	994,561	1,248,573	1,288,604	1,280,691	1,333,635	2.1%
Netherlands	433,496	564,763	776,455	576,573	714,539	1.1%
South Korea	528,207	829,675	1,043,526	1,038,807	644,305	1.0%
Others	2,582,203	3,880,476	4,785,526	3,477,626	3,691,024	5.7%
Total	50,720,170	61,326,943	73,205,051	69,590,539	64,957,409	100.0%
Source: Statistics Canada (CATSNet, April 2024)

3. Consumption

3.1. Maple products available^{Table note 1} for consumption^{Table note 2} (kilograms per person)

	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Maple Sugar	0.39	0.52	0.47	0.67	0.44
Notes: Table 3.1 note [1] 1. Food available per person is calculated by dividing the domestic disappearance by the Canadian population as of July 1st of the reference year, at the retail level. Domestic disappearance represents the total food available for human consumption from the Canadian food supply chain. Total Supply = Beginning stocks + Production + Imports Domestic Disappearance = Total supply – Exports – Manufacturing - Waste - Ending stocks Return to table 3.1 note [1] referrer Table 3.1 note [2] Does not adjust for losses, such as waste and/or spoilage in stores, households, private institutions or restaurants, or losses during preparation. Return to table 3.1 note [2] referrer Source: Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0054-01 Food available in Canada

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Maple Sugar

0.39

0.52

0.47

0.67

0.44

Notes:

Table 3.1 note [1]

1. Food available per person is calculated by dividing the domestic disappearance by the Canadian population as of July 1st of the reference year, at the retail level.
Domestic disappearance represents the total food available for human consumption from the Canadian food supply chain.
Total Supply = Beginning stocks + Production + Imports
Domestic Disappearance = Total supply – Exports – Manufacturing - Waste - Ending stocks

Return to table 3.1 note [1] referrer

Table 3.1 note [2]

Does not adjust for losses, such as waste and/or spoilage in stores, households, private institutions or restaurants, or losses during preparation.

Return to table 3.1 note [2] referrer

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0054-01 Food available in Canada

4. World data

4.1 World imports

4.1.1. Top importers of maple sugar and maple syrup – by value (thousands of Canadian dollars)

	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2023 % Share
United States	266,617	304,500	348,758	381,240	376,462	49.6%
Netherlands	11,574	22,114	25,482	63,417	52,141	6.9%
Germany	37,605	44,019	50,590	42,171	47,625	6.3%
United Kingdom	29,791	37,021	38,645	37,529	39,282	5.2%
France	23,512	26,608	31,182	38,088	34,242	4.5%
Japan	28,783	28,825	37,013	35,266	30,778	4.1%
Australia	22,021	27,291	25,708	28,349	30,149	4.0%
Canada^{Table 4.1.1 note 1}	14,709	15,495	11,011	16,940	17,046	2.2%
Italy	8,274	10,112	13,663	10,273	12,613	1.7%
Denmark	8,469	10,421	11,323	11,606	11,344	1.5%
South Korea	5,276	9,139	11,913	11,293	8,745	1.2%
Switzerland	5,409	7,494	7,434	7,858	8,248	1.1%
Poland	7,316	7,063	8,218	8,225	7,371	1.0%
Sweden	1,186	4,238	5,678	5,254	7,207	0.9%
Israel	2,773	4,686	6,396	5,970	6,961	0.9%
Others	50,849	63,399	70,251	66,991	68,441	9.0%
Total	524,164	622,425	703,265	770,470	758,655	100.0%
Note: Table 4.1.1 note [1] 100% of Canadian imports of maple products are sourced from the United States. Return to table 4.1.1 note [1] referrer Source: Global Trade Tracker (April 2024)

4.1.2. Top importers of maple sugar and maple syrup – by volume (metric tons)

	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2023 % Share
United States	32,126	36,990	44,503	44,555	40,343	49.8%
Netherlands	1,155	2,288	2,566	13,067	5,776	7.1%
Germany	4,052	4,538	5,417	4,249	4,396	5.4%
United Kingdom	4,447	4,667	4,705	4,301	4,271	5.3%
France	2,563	2,608	3,123	3,703	3,239	4.0%
Australia	2,493	2,826	2,840	2,832	2,744	3.4%
Canada^{Table 4.1.2 note 1}	2,594	2,624	1,895	2,908	2,689	3.3%
Japan	2,588	2,577	3,333	3,023	2,498	3.1%
Italy	744	1,619	2,482	1,087	1,572	1.9%
Denmark	1,174	1,406	1,529	1,471	1,386	1.7%
Sweden	577	996	1,310	1,299	1,347	1.7%
Spain	287	765	1,422	1,299	1,062	1.3%
Ghana	987	833	1,164	2,263	1,042	1.3%
South Korea	506	846	1,100	1,037	730	0.9%
New Zealand	562	658	682	806	649	0.8%
Others	10,639	9,394	9,087	9,217	7,341	9.1%
Total	67,494	75,635	87,158	97,117	81,085	100.0%
Note: Table 4.1.2 note [1] 100% of Canadian imports of maple products are sourced from the United States. Return to table 4.1.2 note [1] referrer Source: Global Trade Tracker (April 2024)

4.2 A Comparison: United States national statistics for maple syrup

4.2.1. United States maple syrup production by state (gallons)

	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2023 % Share
Vermont	2,671,000	2,894,000	2,227,000	3,264,000	2,045,000	48.9%
New York	820,000	804,000	647,000	844,000	750,000	17.9%
Maine	640,000	703,000	553,000	681,000	470,000	11.2%
Wisconsin	440,000	407,000	490,000	611,000	402,000	9.6%
Michigan	209,000	190,000	165,000	215,000	195,000	4.7%
Pennsylvania	201,000	230,000	215,000	201,000	178,000	4.3%
New Hampshire	172,000	175,000	132,000	172,000	139,000	3.3%
United States	5,153,000	5,403,000	4,429,000	5,988,000	4,179,000	100.0%
Source: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

4.2.2. United States maple syrup production value by state (thousands of US dollars)

	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2022 % Share
Vermont	67,704	74,788	78,138	71,264	108,038	52.3%
New York	26,276	26,404	27,658	24,457	31,650	15.3%
Maine	22,592	18,048	24,535	21,346	23,767	11.5%
Wisconsin	9,364	14,300	11,844	16,219	19,185	9.3%
New Hampshire	9,593	7,792	9,118	8,567	8,978	4.3%
Michigan	6,730	10,157	9,234	7,640	7,977	3.9%
Pennsylvania	6,747	7,035	8,832	7,783	7,015	3.4%
Others	11,870	0	0	0	0	0.0%
United States	160,876	158,524	169,359	157,276	206,610	100.0%
2023 maple syrup production value data was not available at the time of writing. Source: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

5. Key Resources

Global Trade Tracker
Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0166-01 Farms classified by farm type, Census of Agriculture historical data
Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0161-01 Maple taps, Census of Agriculture historical data
Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0354-01 Production and value of maple products
Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0045-01 Farm cash receipts, annual (x 1,000)
Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0054-01 Food available in Canada
Statistics Canada. CATSNET
USDA. National Agricultural Statistics Service

Import and export data is based on the following Harmonized System Codes (H.S. Codes):

Maple for import: 1702200010, 1702200020
Maple for export: 17022010, 17022020, 17022021, 17022029