President Javier Milei’s chainsaw didn’t take a break in the last week of December 2025National Yerba Mate Institute (INYM) 21 workers laid off in Posadas, Misiones. This decision, taken by the organization’s board of directors, affected a quarter of its plant, has an estimated cost of 800 million pesos and is part of the deregulation policy of the yerba farming industry promoted since December 2023.
The measure took place less than three weeks earlier the adoption of the accountant Rodrigo Correa as president of the institute, after a phase of headlessness that lasted two years. The official was appointed by the national government and has no experience in herbal activities.
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On Tuesday, the institute officially announced the layoffs of 21 of its 84 employees, resulting in a reduction of a quarter. Furthermore, they warn about this in the coming weeks There could be new separations within the organism.
The workforce reduction will take place as part of a INYM shrinkage processin line with the official strategy to seek complete deregulation of the yerba mate market, a policy implemented when the current national government took office.
Surprise and union complaint
Of the The Association of State Workers (ATE) was surprised faced with layoffs and They questioned the way reporting was carried out. According to her, the employees were summoned individually and informed about the dismissal in the presence of a notary.
The union has also taken note of this Half of the laid-off employees are affiliated with the ATE And? Among them are two delegates Unions enjoying union protection, which led to greater unrest within the sector.
For the union, the dismissals are part of a process to empty the institute, which was founded in 2021 with the aim of putting an end to a deep crisis that the herbal sector subsequently experienced Deregulation was pushed forward in the 1990s.
This crisis was a consequence of the policies implemented during the government of Carlos Saúl Menem, which led to a Sharp decline in income the producers and in a general deterioration in activity.
The origin and role of INYM
The founding of the INYM was the result of one historic protest from producers Herbalists who advanced on Posadas with trucks and tractors and conducted a camp that lasted over a month in front of the mission capital.
This mobilization culminated in the sanction of the law Birth of the institutean organization that does not incur any costs to the nation state since it is financed by a stamp included in the packs of yerba mate.
The government has published the price of yerba mate and the National Institute will no longer be able to set it
With the operation of the INYM, the producers they achieved a new composition to reduce the price of the green leaf, to achieve a profitability margin considered acceptable and to place greater emphasis on the quality of the product.
In addition, the institute promoted the development of new international markets and promoted domestic consumption of yerba mate various dissemination campaigns.
Deregulation and decline in income
He first strike for the activity came with him Presidential Decree 70/2023, The This took away INYM’s power to set reference prices for green leaves and yerba mate. This decision resulted in a significant delay in producers’ perceived values.
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The heavy harvest period of 2025 ended with Average prices of 280 pesosFigures very similar to those of the October 2023 arbitration award, while the payment deadlines have been extended to 180 days.
In addition to this scenario, the decision by which a Cap on new plantationsa measure aimed at avoiding an oversupply of raw materials and maintaining a balance between production and demand in the herbal market.
GZ/lr
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