Strong and with numbers in his hands, the president of the National Institute of Yerba Mate (INYM), John Jose Szychowski approves the full validity of the institution that regulates the herbal activity: “The OTHERS “This is a successful experience of public-private management, and its proof is that in its validity, yerba mate is one of the best economies in the region of Argentina,” he said in dialogue with scope.
According to Szychowski “he producer price it is paid more than the official amount, new businesses are integrated that generate more jobs, the sale of manufactured yerba mate increases benefiting industries, we take care of quality and we have ventured into agroecology, which is the demand of world, where it is. there will be a growing demand for healthy, natural foods that are good for your health,” he argued.
Yerba mate, the importance for the regional economy of the country
In the upcoming presidential elections, Szychowski noted that “Argentines once again face the possibility of choosing between two major governance models, one characterized by the presence of the State to guarantee growth and development for all sectors, and the other free market, which greatly benefits the most important companies. “powerful to the detriment of other actors in society, which creates unemployment and hunger,” he said.
In that sense, he recalled what had happened in previous government experiences, “as happened in the herbal sector during the 90s when the oligopolistic management of the commercialization of weed was promoted, it caused a drop in the prices of raw materials and a deep social crisis, something we do not want to repeat,” he said.
In terms of quantity, the herbal activity is one of the most important for the local economy. With more than 100 years of systematic cultivation in the provinces of Missions and Flow creates jobs for 15 thousand workers, 12,500 producers, 49 cooperatives, 200 dryers and 100 industries. “We are going through a very good time,” emphasized Szychowski. “The price of green leaves is paid by producers above the official amount (which is set at 120 pesos per kilo of green leaves, and they pay more than 140 pesos), and in the first half of 2023, the industries ” Sent they have the largest number of packages in history, reaching a historical record of 138,749,599 thousand kilos sold in the domestic market, which is equivalent to more than 320 billion pesos,” he explained. Szychowski.
John Joseph Szychowski is a species of flowering plant
According to the owner of OTHERS” Health and well-being are growing industries in the world, so our Argentine yerba mate has more and more acceptance in Europe and the United States, because it is a food that is good for your health, and if We In addition, agroecology is expanding in our lands, we are facing a very good scenario.
“In other words: we are facing many opportunities,” the President of INYM reiterated. “We have an Institution that organizes the herbal sector and implements actions to strengthen it, actions defined by a Board of Directors made up of the public and private sectors, and the activity is carried out by a territory supported by the latest environmental laws – as the penalty of the latest Law for the Promotion of Bioinputs; with protected areas; and with businessmen and businesswomen who increase versatility and relevance to Argentine tradition,” he said.
Argentina, leading producer and exporter of yerba mate
Argentina is the leading producer and exporter of yerba mate in the world. Last year, 829,237,261 kilos of green leaves were harvested, and the consumption reached 316,113,503 kilos (275,809,497 kilos in the national market and another 40,304,006 kilos abroad – it was exported to more than 50 countries-), a number similar to 50 countries-, a number. when there was a record consumption, from 5.90 kilos of yerba mate to 6.17 kilos per person per year.
Products based on yerba mate increased in different brands and forms of consumption (energizing and refreshing drinks, soluble yerba mate and in capsules as a food supplement, beers based on yerba mate; wonderful mixtures that provide unique flavors and fragrances) in different parts of the world, mainly in Spain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
New markets to export yerba mate
she OTHERS “worked for add consumers in the Middle East, the European Union and the United States supporting the presence of herbal companies with their brands in the main food fairs (Gulfood, in Dubai; Alimentaria, in Spain; Anuga, in Germany; Fancy Food, in the United States; Food & Services, in Chile and Sial Paris, in France), and with the launch of the American Yerba Mate Association, in the United States, whose goal is to communicate the beneficial qualities of the product for health, something that is of great interest to the public in that part of the world, ” explained he. Szychowski.
The environmental and economic sustainability of yerba mate
The president of INYM, John Joseph Szychowski also said that “we are moving towards the production of yerba mate that is environmentally balanced, and along the lines, towards economic sustainability.”
“We intend to reach each of the farms, contributing to make the plant fruitful over time, with our technicians from Yerbatero Extension Service (SEY) and with programs in the Technical Area designed to facilitate technology access and implementation and also to improve working conditions,” he emphasized.
Extreme climate events, such as the drought of 2022, “present new challenges for us and for that framework, the INYM commissioned 13 SEY technicians to work with producers to restore native trees, water, essential services, natural balance on farms, mitigate the effects of climate change, and move towards environmental and economic sustainability,” he said.
