(10) Evaluation Of Changing Farm-Gate Marketing Strategies To Increase Profits

Session: Poster session

Maple syrup producers in Ohio on average produce 100,000 gallons of syrup annually which contributes $5 million to Ohio’s economy and provides a supplemental income from non-timber forest products to many forest land-owners.  Recent industry research of 620 maple syrup producers revealed the majority, 41% (n=232), indicate they derive no income from their maple syrup sales and only 34% indicated they made 1-5% of annual income from maple sales.  Yet traditional practices of selling in gallon containers, selling the majority of crop wholesale, and under valuing the commodity are high, which reduces the potential income from the production volume.

The research revealed that the one gallon container both in plastic and metal were popular retail containers for selling maple syrup.  Forty-five percent (n=255) of the 620 respondents used plastic gallons and 20% (n=116) used metal one gallon containers.  Retail prices for a gallon of maple syrup in Ohio varies greatly (+/- $22.00 gallon) by region.  This research looks at the potential income if marketing practices were implemented to market smaller size containers at the retail level versus selling in gallon containers and selling bulk syrup to other packers.  Comparisons of the research results on production volume, potential income and container size sales revealed that the United States Department of Agricultural National Agricultural Statistics Service are not being supplied the full picture of the industry in Ohio.

Gary Graham
Ohio State University Extension
Center at Wooster
1680 Madison Ave.
Wooster, Ohio 44691, USA
Phone: 330-263-3799
Fax: 330-263-3667
graham.124@osu.edu
ORAL