The sharp loss of purchasing power in Argentina has impacted not only the consumption of asado but also another custom deeply rooted in the country's culture: mate. Yerba mate sales for the domestic market have suffered a significant decline so far this year, accompanied by a drop in prices that has complicated the scenario for producers.
On average, about 68,000 kilos less of yerba were sold per day, accumulating a drop of 18,483,312 kilos in the first nine months. Considering that each Argentine consumes mate, it is estimated that by September each person reduced their consumption by 404 grams. According to the National Institute of Yerba Mate (INYM), the domestic demand for yerba mate has decreased by 9.5%, dropping from 211,913,639 kilos in the same period the previous year to 193,430,327 kilos.
On the other hand, the external market has experienced a slight rebound of 2,678,159 kilos compared to the previous year, which could lead to a total of around 42,000,000 kilos by the end of the year, as long as shipments remain stable. Regarding the preferences of Argentine consumers, there has been an increase in the choice of half-kilo packages, which now represent 56.53% of the market, while the one-kilo package has decreased to 37.38%.
During the first nine months of this year, a record entry of 968,057,487 kilos of green leaf was registered in the dryers, due to the increase in production from yerba plantations because of favorable climatic conditions. However, the oversupply has led to a significant drop in prices from the industrial sector, even below last year's levels. It is anticipated that, due to this situation, producers will self-regulate and not harvest all their production in the next season to avoid a further drop in the prices of the raw material.
