Maple syrup cartel ups quota, partly to quell rebellion

Winnipeg

THE cartel that produces 72 per cent of the world's maple syrup is starting to crack.

After eight years of tightly limiting output to keep prices high, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers next year will boost its quota by 12 per cent for 13,500 sap farmers who operate in the Canadian province. The goal is twofold: Reclaim the 10 per cent of market share lost to the US over the last decade, and quell a rebellion by producers increasingly turning to black market sales for growth.