Misiones yerba mate producers protest during Milei visit

Yerba mate producers in Misiones, Argentina, organized protests involving tractors and trucks to demand urgent economic measures during President Javier Milei’s visit to the province. Demonstrators in San Vicente and near Puerto Iguazú expressed deep concern over a regional economic crisis, stating that current prices for green leaf and yerba mate are “below production costs.”

The protesters submitted a petition to the national government requesting the establishment of mandatory minimum prices and the implementation of a traceability system to prevent market speculation. They also called for the National Institute of Yerba Mate (INYM) to regain regulatory and control tools to protect small and medium-sized producers from large corporate interests.

Additional demands include accessible credit lines to combat rising input costs and drought, as well as a formal dialogue table with all sectors of the production chain. Producers warned that without intervention, the sector faces the risk of mass closures of farms and cooperatives, noting that some workers are already migrating to Brazil due to the deteriorating economic conditions.