Syria boosts yerba mate imports from Brazil

Syria increased its yerba mate imports from Brazil to 2,700 tonnes from January to August this year, up from 220 tonnes last year, according to data compiled from Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services.

The yerba mate sent to Syria is of the Argentine standard.

“The volume sold increased twelvefold. In monetary terms, Syrian imports of Brazilian yerba mate also soared, rising from USD 441.4 thousand to USD 5.2 million in the same comparison. As a result, Syria became the third largest market for Brazilian yerba mate abroad.

The company responsible for this achievement is Agroindustrial Elacy, headquartered in Venâncio Aires, Rio Grande do Sul state, with Gilberto Luiz Heck as managing partner. Heck is also the president of the Yerba Mate Industry Union of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Sindimate-RS) and a member of the board of the Brazilian Yerba Mate Institute (Ibramate).

Heck explains that Elacy partnered with Argentine company La Cachuera, producer of the Amanda brand, through which they supply the Syrians. Argentina is responsible for almost 100% of yerba mate supply to the Arab country. “Syria is a major consumer of yerba mate, but they consume it in the same style as Argentina. The yerba must be aged. We let it mature for a year, a year and a half, before sending it to Syria,” he says.

Argentine yerba has larger chopped leaves, some stems, little dust, and is aged, resting for a long period before being sold. Brazilian yerba, on the other hand, is very green and primarily composed of fine dust. Heck explains that green yerba in the Brazilian style is consumed only in Brazil, while in all other countries, the demand is for aged yerba.

Source: ANBA

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