Maple Syrup Prices Holding Steady, Future looks good.

[PerryW]

Looks like rumors of dropping bulk prices may have encouraged some producers to sell early causing a temporary spike in supply; but overall demand looks good and retails sales of all grades are going well.

I'm definitely hanging on to my 10 gallons of Commercial so as to not upset the maple market with a huge influx of product.

[KenWP]

What I have not heard from maple guys is what price they feel is fair and produces a good income as to costing money to make the sryup. Sort of the break even point is what I am looking for.

[Brent]

for small producers there ain't no such words in the dictionairy air "break even"

It's like yachting. A maple tap is a hole in tree that you stuff with money.

[KenWP]

That's what I figured. I spent a lot to get started but made a lot of syrup for myself also. I can sit back and let the prices in the stores do what ever they want to now.

[fred]

ill give my 2 cents. 2.75 should be the bottom.gives a fair pay to the producer and the consumer is not forking a ton for a great product.

[TomBaumberger]

I went to Maple Grove on Thursday. They expected me to dump my 5 gallon jugs into barrels, they were kind enough to let me use a funnel. I dumped about 500# of syrup and then found out they are now just paying $2.30 final price for A Light, everything else was less. I made the trip out here to keep from getting bottom price back in Ohio, so I left there and made the trip south a couple hours to Bascoms. Their price was $2.90 for A Light, which is over $6 more per gallon. Plus they take 5 gallon jugs and you get your check today. I had over 100 gallon left with me, so it definitely paid me to make the tip down to Bascom.

I doubt I will ever be making the trip to St Johnsbury again.

[orange county maple]

You got all these fat bastards that may tapped trees once in there life telling you that they know so much about sugaring and they can't even get into snowshoes without busting them. I don't think they even try to put shoes on. And they say i got 10,000 taps you want information talk to his help that works in the woods and the sugarhouse both. Those are the guys buying for $2.00/lbs they don't know the labor& PRIDE that goes into making this beatuiful stuff. It's the way they make a extra buck, look dairy farms pricing on milk.If you went to the open houses hope you got a burger or hot dog before these fat guys eat it all. Keep your ears open and your mouth shut you might learn something and ask the people with first hand experinces.:)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Tom,

The way I understand it with maple grove if the price this summer is established at $ 3 @ lb, they will send you a check in the mail for the other 70 cents @ lb. Jerry can chime in more on this if he so desires.

[fred]

i agree tom you should haveasked more questions before you left maple grove . and why didnt you go to richards? debbie said they are paying 2.85

[jlemieux]

I live in St. Johnsbury and had 5 gallons of C to sell and just wanted somewhere easy to get rid of it. Well you can't even find anyone to answer the phone at Maple Grove, never mind get your questions answered. After some research I found out the price for C has gone from $2.50 to $1.90 a pound, but if the price goes up before June 1RST, Maple Grove will send you a check for the difference. I guess I won't be giving away my C for $20 a gallon and don't expect the price to go up by June 1rst. I'm just a small guy, but i still don"t want to get screwed especially by someone who does not answer their phone or return messages. I feel sorry for the guy who came from Ohio, just make the trip to Bascoms next time, maybe I'll see you there.

[PerryW]

I think Bascoms caters to the small producer because they are also an equipment dealer. While the other buyers grumble about 5 gallon pails of syrup, Bruce knows that I'm probably gonna spend the money from my measly 10-15 gallons on equipment anyway.

[fred]

yes more times than not he trades out for syrup.

remember they are giving a deposit for syrup and the rest will come in june whereas the other places are paying the price now and thats it

[TomBaumberger]

I asked the questions, and the answer is that this price is FINAL PRICE, no checks later. In fact, when I told them I was going to take my syrup to Bascom's the guy at the dock told me that Bascom was the one that set those prices. I guess I look alot more stupid than I really am, I do refuse to deal with liars.

As for Richards, Debbie does pretty good, but I really don't want to wait until December for payment, otherwise I would hold my syrup until then and get the December price.

[Brian Ryther]

Time to chime in. If you do not like the price the bulk guys are giving then don't sell it to them! Spend the time to pack and market you product your self. The bulk packers do not owe the producer anything.
Last year I sold half of my crop to Bascom and half to Maple Grove. I lost a lot of Money selling to Bascom last year. This year is the other way. Bascom is the best price in town. The GAMBLE you take is when and to whom to sell to.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I agree with Brian as this is a free country and free open market and no one is making anyone that produces syrup sell to anyone in particular. Shop around and find the best price, retail it or sit on it.

[twobears1224]

brian wrote:The bulk packers do not owe the producer anything
it works both way..they need us and we need them...also, theres alot more places to sell bulk syrup then maple grove and bascoms..the producer has to look around and find the best place to sell his syrup...weather it,s maple grove,bascoms,ect,ect,ect.
i see some of you guys think if syrup is $4.00 a gallon it should always be that much if not more it doesn,t work that way with syrup or any other commodity.
look at lumber..in the winter you can buy OSB for $5.00 a sheet..come summer and/or bad weather and it,s $12.00 a sheet...yet,now i see it selling for $5.50 a sheet and the building season is here... theres little demand for it right now... syrup works the same way.anybody remember the year everybody made mostly fancy?? we made drum after drum of it and couldn,t give it away..so,we all should be glad we have a market now and that really prices are ok...even if we do end up losing alittle bit from last year.
if you don,t like the bulk price hold on to your syrup...you can do that.

[Homestead Maple]

I went to Maple Grove on Thursday. They expected me to dump my 5 gallon jugs into barrels, they were kind enough to let me use a funnel. I dumped about 500# of syrup and then found out they are now just paying $2.30 final price for A Light, everything else was less. I made the trip out here to keep from getting bottom price back in Ohio, so I left there and made the trip south a couple hours to Bascoms. Their price was $2.90 for A Light, which is over $6 more per gallon. Plus they take 5 gallon jugs and you get your check today. I had over 100 gallon left with me, so it definitely paid me to make the tip down to Bascom.
I doubt I will ever be making the trip to St Johnsbury again.
Did Maple Grove get your contact info before you left? I was wondering if they would make up the difference to you when prices change.

[TomBaumberger]

Did Maple Grove get your contact info before you left? I was wondering if they would make up the difference to you when prices change.

Like I said, They stated that all prices were Final. No future checks. They do have my information for they do not pay on the spot, they send a check in a week to 10 days.