The Ministry of Internal Commerce authorized a staggered increase in the price of yerba mate at the mill. THE the recovery will be 12.2% this week and another 9.2% in Maybut it is below what the industrialists of the sector were asking for in order to be able to cope with the increases in raw materials that the Ministry of Agriculture set three weeks ago.

Last week, four mills met with the governor of Misiones, Oscar Herrera Ahuad, so that they accompany the request to update the values in front of the secretary Matías Tombolini. They also asked him to negotiate with the Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, the immediate inclusion of yerba mate exports in the so-called “agro dollar”.

Tombolini did not want to give up more than a monthly increase of 3.2%. for the yerba coming out of the mill, since it is a product widely consumed by the less well-off social classes; but finally granted a significantly higher correction in a context of rising inflation.

The decision of the main yerbateras not to accept that meager monthly increase made entry of yerba mate in the export increase program will be blockedwhich allows you to settle shipments at a dollar of 300 pesos.

It is that one of the measures arranged to access the benefit was “respect the price agreements for the local market established in this regard by the Secretary of Commerce of the Ministry of the Economy”. Now it is assumed that within a few days resolution will come out will add yerba mate to the “sour dollar”.

The staggered increase in the value of the yerba mate package goes hand in hand with the resolution of the nation’s secretary of agriculture, which established a series of increases for the raw material between April and next October, when the National Institute of Yerba Mate (INYM) again discusses green leaf and canchada (dry, unground) benchmarks.

That body had set at the beginning of this month a minimum price of 107 pesos per kilo of green leaf during this month; while in the two-month period May-June prices will be 112 pesos and the field will cost 425,600 per ton.- The final recomposition of the price of the raw material will take place in July, when the green leaf will be worth 120 pesos and 456 per kilo of canchadada.

Misiones and Corrientes are the only two provinces that produce yerba mate and sell abroad about 40 million kilos a year, generating a turnover of over 87 million dollars.

INYM president Juan José Szychowski was confident that one of the pillars of missionary production will be part of the program to increase exports sooner or later. “Products will be incorporated that they also have an internal market, and no doubt weed will be there,” he assured.

Szychowski justified the delay in adding to the sector. “It makes no sense to create a differential dollar and have no more goods for Argentinian consumers, that everything is exported. So whoever guarantees a price to Argentine consumers will also have access to the export dollar, which is another requirement to be able to enter”.

The leader indicated that yerbateras that flip some of their production to the overseas market would receive lower raises than those producing yerba mate for consumption by Argentines.

NS