Canadian maple syrup producers have received $4.3 million in marketing and research funding aimed at improving the competitiveness of the sector. The investment will go to three projects:
• La Fédération des producteurs acéricoles du Québec (FPAQ) will receive up to $2.7 million from the AgriMarketing program to undertake international market development and export promotion activities over the next three years.
• FPAQ will also receive up to $1.5 million from the Developing Innovative Agri-Products initiative, which supports industry-led science and technology projects, to explore and promote the nutritional and therapeutic properties of maple syrup.
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• Le Centre de recherche, de développement et de transfert technologique acéricole inc. will receive up to $90,000 to develop and evaluate a maple syrup testing method using an optical spectroscopy technique considered more efficient and more precise.
Canada accounts for 85 percent of the world’s syrup production. In 2008, maple products were valued at $212 million. The value is expected to increase over the next few years.
The federal AgriMarketing program provides funding to Canadian producer, processor and exporter associations to develop long-term international strategies.
