Organic yerba mate continues to grow in Misiones and will have a space at the National Fair Expo organized by INYM. An institutional video and information on the progress of this regional economy will be presented. In addition, Misiones establishments will bring their products.

For the first time the Province of Misiones will participate in the Expo Matear Fair organized by the National Institute of Yerba Mate, in the Rural Buenos Aires between 2 and 4 December.

With a stand of the Ministry of Agriculture and Production and the Ministry of Tourism, Misiones will exhibit the production of organic yerba mate.

An informative video on organic production, a triptych and six brands of organic yerba mate will be presented at the exhibition. Meanwhile, Misiones Biofactory will present the development of in vitro yerba mate cultivation.

The event coincides with the National Week of Organic Food, so the Misiones space will be a reference in this fair.

The Misiones stand will include: Yerba Mate Pampa from Cooperativa Agrícola Mixta de Montecarlo, Yerba Arapeguá from Cooperativa Agropecuaria La Abundancia de Puerto Rico, Yerba Anna Park from Oberá, Yerba Mate Fidel from Eldorado; Jesper from Itacaruaré and Cuatro Caminos from Campo Viera.

Misiones is a pioneer in the production of organic yerba mate, present in 17 of its departments. Its cultivation dates back to the middle of the last century when Don Alberto Roth started its cultivation in Santo Pipó creating the Roapipó brand.

“Currently, the organic production system is expanding in the province and 3600 ha have already been certified, 11% more than the previous year, while 2200 ha are in transition,” said the Undersecretary of Development and Plant Production, Luciana Imbrogno.

In this sense, she explained that “the certification and traceability system allows the products from Misiones to be positioned at national and international level, being a tool for differentiation and value addition”. “It is for these characteristics that we defined to promote this product in the Matear Fair”, highlighted Imbrogno.

“This year, from the Bureau of organic production coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and production, we carried out the training of 31 professionals for the implementation of the Argentine organic regulations oriented to the cultivation of yerba mate, in addition to the awareness days at the Roth Foundation, and two webinars to identify constraints and contribute to the development of the activity from technology and innovation together with actors from the private sector. In this space, a document was prepared with actions to be developed to promote and strengthen the organic Yerba Mate chain, with great participation of national and provincial stakeholders,” said Imbrogno.

It is worth noting that organic yerba in Misiones is obtained from a sustainable production system that promotes environmental care using methods that do not pollute the air, soil and water. In this way, the maintenance of biodiversity and animal welfare is guaranteed. Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are not allowed, nor is genetic manipulation.

In addition to organic crops, there are 14 mills that process yerba mate with the required standards. On the other hand, there are 39 certified producers of this food in the province, including 3 agricultural cooperatives of small-scale producers, a school of the agricultural family and a foundation.

Based on this experience, which shows the trajectory of missionary producers in organic production systems, the Ministry of Agriculture and Production coordinates the Provincial Bureau of Organic Production.

Source: masproduccion.com