Stored Like Oil... Canada Keeps Up to 500 Billion Won Worth of Syrup in Strategic Reserves [Delicious Stories]

The World’s Only Maple Syrup Reserve in Canada
Stabilizing Prices by Stockpiling Surplus Production
Over 218,000 Barrels Stored... Once Targeted by Thieves

Editor's NoteIt is said that the earliest confections were discovered in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. Sweets have accompanied every moment of human history. From biscuits and chocolate to ice cream, we bring you delicious stories behind the treats we love.

Just as the United States stores oil in a government-managed strategic reserve to prepare for crises or supply shortages, Canada also has a government-backed strategic reserve. The item in question is maple syrup, a staple food ingredient for Canadians.

The Maple Syrup Reserve Unique to Canada

Maple syrup is a golden-brown, sweet syrup typically drizzled over pancakes or French fries. It is known to be richer in mineral nutrients than refined sugar and has antioxidant properties, making it a popular sugar substitute. While it was once mainly consumed in North America and Europe, it has now become a familiar ingredient in many other countries, including South Korea.

Interior view of the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers Federation (FPAQ) syrup storage facility in Quebec. FPAQ website

Although maple syrup is produced in various regions across North America, Canada stands out as the leading producer. Quebec province accounts for 75% of global maple syrup production (according to the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food, 2020). Maple syrup has become both a major export and a symbol of Canada.

In Canada, the status of maple syrup goes beyond that of a mere food product. The Quebec Maple Syrup Producers Federation (FPAQ), a voluntary cooperative of maple syrup producers, has designated maple syrup as a strategic commodity and operates the world's only maple syrup strategic reserve. The role of this reserve is to regulate the barrel price of syrup produced each year, keeping it at an appropriate level. This helps stabilize Canada's maple syrup production and ensures the profitability of producers.

218,000 Barrels Stored in Quebec: "Canada's OPEC"

Maple syrup is made by boiling the sap collected from sugar maple trees. The Canadian flag even features a red sugar maple leaf. Sugar maple trees form dense forests, especially in Quebec province, which is why the surrounding area is called the "Maple Belt."

The FPAQ's maple syrup strategic reserves are also located in the outskirts of Quebec. According to the FPAQ's official website, the strategic reserve tanks currently installed in Quebec can store a total of 218,000 barrels of syrup, valued at 400 million US dollars (approximately 507.6 billion Korean won). According to Canadian government statistics, the total production of maple syrup in Canada reached 837 million US dollars (about 1.1941 trillion Korean won) last year. This means that the reserve can store about half of the total annual production. The British economic magazine The Economist has even described the maple syrup strategic reserve as playing a role similar to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Maple syrup. Pixabay

Because of its value, the syrup strategic reserve once became the target of thieves.

In 2011, a gang broke into the Saint-Louis-de-Blandford reserve, transferred the syrup from the barrels into other containers, and loaded them onto trucks to smuggle them out. Over several months, they managed to steal syrup equivalent to 9,571 barrels and sold it at nearby markets. After several months of investigation, Canadian police arrested 17 members of the gang in December 2012. The incident became known as the "Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist," received extensive coverage in the local media, and was even made into a documentary in 2021.

Strategic Reserve in Action During the COVID-19 Crisis

The maple syrup strategic reserve was established in 2000 as a measure to address the unpredictability of maple syrup production. The sap used to make syrup is collected by tapping sugar maple trees, and the annual yield depends entirely on the weather that year. As a result, Canada's annual maple syrup production has always been irregular. Thanks to the strategic reserve, Canada can release stored syrup in years with low sap yields and store surplus syrup in years of overproduction.

Maple syrup is made by collecting and boiling the sap of sugar maple trees that grow on the North American continent. Pixabay

The strategic reserve played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. That year, Quebec's maple syrup production plummeted due to extreme global weather and restrictions on collection and production activities caused by social distancing measures. At that time, the FPAQ released syrup from the strategic reserve to ensure a stable supply. Michael Farrell, former director of the Maple Syrup Research Center at Cornell University in Canada, said in an interview with CBC, "If it weren't for the reserve, there would have been less syrup on store shelves and prices would have soared."