Quebec maple syrup producers divided over quota system

Producers of one of of Quebec's most iconic symbols are divided about the way forward in their industry, as the province considers changes to the quota system for maple syrup.

Those for and against the systemheld duelling protests this week.

• Maple syrup battle brews in Quebec as market share slips

A 69-pagereport on the industryreleased last weekrecommendsdropping the quota system and ending the monopoly that the federation of maple syrup producers of Quebec has on supply. It noted that Quebec's market share has dropped 10 per cent.

The report wascommissioned last yearby the provincial agriculture department and prepared by Quebec City-basedconsultantFlorentGagn.

'Big potential'

Hundreds of maple syrupproducers who support the current system protested at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Norman Urbain, who ownsa maple tree farminthe Laurentians and attendedthe demonstration, disagrees with the province'sassessment of market share.

He saidmaple syrup producers have only lost two or three percent of the market in the last 15 yearsand that they have increased production, exports and value despite increasing competition.He saidthere are 45 million taps in the province with the potential to tap 100 million trees.

Meanwhile, in the U.S. he says there are300 million trees currently untapped.

"It's a very big potential, but if everybody starts tapping at the same time, what happens to the prices?"

A hindrance to expansion?

However, other producers say the system is holding people back. Thosewho want to see quotas dropped held their own demonstrationat the National Assembly on Friday.

Jim Dempsey, whohas a sugar bushin Inverness, roughly 80 kilometres southwest of Quebec City, said the quota system makes sense for well established producers and at maximum production.

But for those who want to add a maple production to a mixed-farm operation, it's hard to expand into the industry.

"The quota system only works if everyone is involved and everybody's affected," he noted, pointing out that while Quebec is under the quota system, Maritime, Ontario and U.S. producers are not.