Yerba mate, new Geographical Indication

By Estudio Chaloupka

The Ministry of Agro Industry of Argentina has recently issued Resolution Nº 16/2016, which granted the Geographical Indication (GI) to “Yerba Mate Argentina”. The request for this geographical indication had been made many years ago, and will now be used by producers from the provinces of Misiones and Corrientes, who developed a strict production standard of yerba mate.

The product is made from the leaves of Ilex Paraguariensis, a tree that grows only in subtropical South America, specifically in the northeastern Argentinian provinces of Corrientes and Misiones, southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. It is the source of “yerba mate”, a highly popular infusion in Argentina, that provides mineral and vitamin sources, energizing effects and powerful antioxidants. Over 400 trademarks identifying “yerba mate” products currently coexist in the Argentine marketplace.

Value Added Secretariat of the Argentine Agro Industry Ministry, Néstor Roulet, stated that the recognition for yerba mate “guarantees a quality of the product linked to its geographical origin, and enables consumers to access better information for product differentiation". He further added that this distinction "provides legal protection and trademark registration to an infusion born in our territory, which consumption is rooted in daily lives of millions of people". Statistics reveal that over 70% of Argentine population consumes mate.

A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. In order to function as a GI, a sign must identify a product as originating in a given place. It enables those who have the right to use the indication to prevent its use by a third party whose product does not conform to the applicable standards.