Latin America and the Caribbean: yerba mate exports value 2023, by country

In 2023, Brazil was the leading exporter of yerba mate with an export value of 89 million U.S. dollars. Ranking second was Argentina with 82.55 million U.S. dollars, followed by Paraguay with 13.77 million U.S. dollars worth of yerba mate exports.

In terms of yerba mate export volume, that same year, Brazil exported over 14 percent more yerba mate than Argentina.

What is yerba mate?

Yerba mate is a plant native to South America, used to prepare the hot herbal drink, mate. It has a deep cultural significance in Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile, and a cold version of the brew called tereré is popular in Paraguay. Argentina and Brazil are the undisputed top producers of yerba mate, not only regionally but also globally.

Who drinks mate around the world?

While mate is especially popular in the southern part of South America, it has gained notoriety on a global scale in recent years, particularly thanks to it being the drink of choice of soccer superstar Lionel Messi. Some of the leading countries of destination for yerba mate exports include Uruguay, the United States, Turkey and Lebanon. In 2023, Syria was the top destination for exports of Paraguayan yerba.