Developing Stevia Business

By Yolanda Pereira, Berkemeyer Attorneys & Counselors

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni contains a natural sweetener that is marketed globally. The plant is a native species to Paraguay and was named after its discoverer, Moisés Bertoni, a Swiss immigrant who did extensive classification of plants in Paraguay.

Following many years of R&D by various companies, the sweetener is finding a market in Paraguay and over the world. In order to boost trade a law was passed to enable government support for further R&D and incentives for investment in the production and commercialization of the product. The law declares that Stevia (Ka’á He’é in the native language) forms part of the native gene pool of Paraguay.