Yerba mate producers seek emergency status and minimum prices

Producers and representatives of yerba mate associations have submitted a bill to the Chamber of Representatives to declare a 360-day primary production emergency. The initiative, introduced by Deputy Arabela Soler, seeks to establish a provincial mechanism to set a mandatory minimum price for green yerba mate leaves.

The proposed minimum price is intended to cover direct and indirect production costs, labor, taxes, social security, and a profit margin to ensure economic sustainability. The price would be subject to updates at intervals no longer than 90 days. The project specifically targets small-scale producers with up to 50 hectares of cultivation, a group that represents approximately 90% of the sector.