NEWFIELD — The National Agricultural Statistics Service has released its Maple Syrup Crop Report for the United States and local maple syrup producers have to be encouraged by the report.

The report reveals that Maine had 1.9 million maple taps for the 2019 season, essentially the same as the last few years. National production of pure maple syrup rose 8 percent overall to 580,000 gallons.

“As usual the report is full of some great statistics and some statistics that leave a person shaking their head,” said Michael Bryant Hilltop Boilers Maple Syrup of Newfield. “The value of maple production in 2019 was $21.6 million to the Maine economy.”

According to Bryant, the report shows that the start to the season in Maine averaged out to be March 14 with an average closing date of April 14, or more than a full month of production.

“Some producers made syrup as late as May 10,” Bryant said.

Report statistics reveal that sales of maple syrup in Maine were broken down in 2019 as 19 percent, 17 percent wholesale and 64 percent bulk.

“Sugarhouses are popping up all over the state of Maine and many are quite large, yet Maine’s tap numbers don’t seem to be increasing very much,” Bryant said. “Production fluctuates radically from year to year.”

He said that the value of maple production was $21.6 million statewide, but his local school district’s budget was 44 million.

“Is the value of maple for the entire state really less than half the size of one school district budget, RSU 57,” Bryant said.

In 2017 and 2018 most of Maine’s maple syrup was sold in bulk containers or about 95 to 97 percent.

“That is mind boggling,” Bryant said. “Only 3 to 5 percent for wholesale and retail. But in 2019 only 64 percent was sold that way. Did the syrup market really change that much in one year? Nope, not from what I saw.”

Nationally, sales were strong this past winter with an 11 percent overall increase.

The report says maple syrup producers rely on three major species of maple trees — the sugar maple, red maple and the silver maple with the sugar maple tree being the major tree used for production. It discloses that under the best conditions, sugar maple trees reach a tapping size in about 30 to 40 years.

A carefully tapped tree will give from 5.8 pounds to 14.6 pounds on a warm spring day.

Maple sap is clear, slightly sweet and has the consistency of spring water and the distinctive maple taste develops through careful boiling.

Sugar in the sap results from the production of starch during the months of May through August, which is stored in the tree roots. With the melting of the snow, starch turns into sugar, which is then circulated through the tree in preparation for the growing season.

As a result, maple sap runs intermittently from early March to mid-April, during the thawing of the ground in spring, but before buds open on the maple tree branches. Good maple sap production requires warm days and cool nights below the freezing point.