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Maple syrup producers, all of whom are in Canada and the U.S., will gain new market access under the deal. Japanese maple syrup tariffs of 17.5 per cent will be axed within three years after the deal is implemented. Vietnam’s three per cent import tax will also be dropped.

“(The TPP) will certainly make pure maple syrup more accessible, as it will have an impact on the consumer prices,” Marvin said. “I think that can only be a good thing for us.”

But Canadian maple syrup might not fare as well as the American stuff under the trade agreement. That’s because so much of it is regulated through a quota system in Quebec, where 90 per cent of the nation’s supply is produced.

“The TPP may actually make things worse for Quebec, because you’re allowing everyone to sell at a cheaper price,” said Sylvain Charlebois, a food-policy researcher at the University of Guelph.

When entering new markets, he said, it’s best for marketers to employ what is called a “skimming” approach to pricing, slowly increasing the price as they gain traction. So, American producers can set their price lower than Quebec’s regulated price, in order to win market share and get their foot in the door. “The set-up right now in Quebec does not support lower prices,” Charlebois said.

The cut in tariffs is significant for an essentially luxury product: a barrel of maple syrup would sell for more than $1,800 dollars this year, 25 times more expensive than the year’s average price of Brent crude oil. Japan is the second-largest importer of Canadian maple syrup, popular there because it is considered to be a natural product, healthier than other sweeteners.