As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply shortages are a worldwide problem.

But in Canada, one of the country's most valuable resources is running low and it may not have anything to do with the pandemic.

Canadian officials say the nation does not have its usual ready supply of maple syrup, and the issue can be traced back to weather conditions.

According to BBC News, the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP) has released about 22m kg from its emergency larder, nearly half the total in reserve.

This marks the first time in three years that QMSP has had to tap into the reserve.

An increase in demand coupled with a shortened harvest led to the shortfall, QMSP said.

Quebec, Canada's Francophone province, produces almost three-quarters of the world's maple syrup.

The BBC notes that in 2021, 183m kg of maple syrup was produced worldwide and 60m kg came from Quebec's forests, according to QMSP. 

During harvesting, maple sap is tapped directly from sugar maple trees and boiled to concentrate it into maple syrup; the difficult job of harvesting the syrup is largely dependent on weather conditions.

Maple trees can only be tapped when temperatures are above freezing during the day and below freezing at night.

This year, a shorter and warmer season resulted in a supply decrease of nearly a quarter.

The decrease was coupled with an increase of over 36 percent in global sales.

QMSP says it will be tapping 7 million more trees in the near future to replenish its reserves and to ensure it can meet next year's demand.