Yerba Mate
Yerba mate is the dried and milled leaf and fine stem of Ilex paraguariensis, a holly native to the Parana basin. The harvested branches are flash heated over flame to arrest enzymatic browning, dried, coarsely broken, then held in a maturation store for months before being milled and blended to a finished granulometry. The finished product is a mix of leaf particle, powder and chopped stem, brewed with hot or cold water and drunk from a gourd through a metal straw across Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil, where it is a daily staple rather than a specialty item. It is also sold as tea bag cut, as soluble extract, and as the caffeine base for energy drinks and functional beverages in export markets.
Listed yerba mate markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Yerba mate is graded on the ratio of leaf to stem, powder content, particle size distribution across a sieve stack, maturation period and moisture.
Composition
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Leaf fractionPercentage by mass | Broken leaf particle. The proportion is stated on the contract and verified on the delivered lot. |
| Stem fractionPercentage by mass | Chopped stem, palo. Con palo blends carry a stated stem percentage and a regulatory maximum; despalada or sin palo blends are milled to a stated low stem content. |
| Powder fractionPercentage by mass | Fines passing the smallest sieve. Governs how fast the brew runs and how much sediment reaches the straw, so it is contracted with both a floor and a ceiling. |
| Con paloWith stem | The standard Argentine domestic composition, blended with a declared stem percentage. |
| DespaladaWithout stem | Milled to a low declared stem content. The Uruguayan and much of the export composition. |
| Foreign vegetable matterPercentage by mass | Any plant material that is not Ilex paraguariensis. Contracted to a maximum and checked microscopically. |
| Extraneous matterPercentage by mass | Mineral and inorganic matter. Contracted to a maximum. |
Granulometry
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Coarse fractionRetained on the top sieve | Large leaf particle and stem. Brews slowly and lasts many refills. |
| Medium fractionRetained on the intermediate sieves | The bulk of a conventional blend. |
| Fine fractionRetained on the lower sieves | Small particle, increases extraction rate. |
| Pass through finesPassing the finest sieve | Powder. Reported as a percentage of sample mass. |
| Tea bag cutMilled to a narrow band | Milled and sifted to a tight particle range for bag filling, with fines removed. |
| Sieve series declarationAperture in millimetres | The contract names the exact sieve apertures used and the mass retained on each, so the result is reproducible in any laboratory. |
Processing and maturation
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| SapecadoFlash heating | Direct flame contact for seconds to destroy the enzymes that would otherwise brown the leaf. |
| Drying methodBarbacua or conveyor dryer | Barbacua drying over a wood fire imparts smoke character. Conveyor and rotary drying does not. Declared, as the two are not substitutes. |
| Maturation periodMonths | The time the canchada is held in a controlled store before milling. Stated in months on the contract. Natural maturation runs longer than accelerated maturation, which is done in a heated and humidity controlled chamber. |
| Maturation typeNatural or accelerated | Declared. |
| Roasted mateTostada | Post drying roasting, producing a darker product. Declared with the roast level. |
| Green unsmokedSin humo | Produced without wood fire contact, for buyers specifying no smoke derived compounds. |
| Organic certificationCertifier and certificate number | Where contracted, the certificate travels with the lot. |
Physical and chemical requirements
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| MoistureMaximum percentage by mass | Determined on the delivered lot. Milled mate is hygroscopic, so the ceiling is checked on arrival rather than only at origin. |
| Total ashPercentage by mass | Mineral residue after incineration. |
| Acid insoluble ashPercentage by mass | Effectively sand and soil. |
| Water extractPercentage by mass | The proportion soluble in hot water, the working measure of strength. |
| CaffeinePercentage by mass | Determined by chromatography. Stated where the buyer is formulating a beverage. |
| Bulk densityGrams per litre | Governs fill weight in packing and is stated for automated packing lines. |
| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonsMicrograms per kilogram | Benzo a pyrene and the sum of four, tested where the product was barbacua dried and is destined for a market that regulates them. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram | Tested against destination market maximum residue limits, with a certificate of analysis travelling with the lot. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | South America | Origin |
| Brazil | South America | Origin and destination |
| Paraguay | South America | Origin |
| Uruguay | South America | Destination |
| Chile | South America | Destination |
| Bolivia | South America | Destination |
| Peru | South America | Destination |
| Colombia | South America | Destination |
| Syria | Middle East | Destination |
| Lebanon | Middle East | Destination |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| Mexico | North America | Destination |
| Spain | Europe | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| Poland | Europe | Destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| France | Europe | Destination |
| Italy | Europe | Destination |
| Czechia | Europe | Destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the crop is taken at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is processing, grading and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Sep, arrival Sep to MarMisiones and Corrientes harvest from March to September under the regulated zafra calendar. Canchada then matures for months, so finished product ships well after the cut. |
| Brazil | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Sep, arrival Oct to MarParana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul harvest through the southern winter. |
| Paraguay | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Aug, arrival Aug to JanItapua and Alto Parana harvest from March to August, with a shorter maturation on much of the domestic product. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for yerba mate. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading0903.00 Mate
- PackingTea in foil lined paper sacks, plywood chests or corrugated cartons of 20 kg to 60 kg. Green coffee in 60 kg or 69 kg jute bags, or 1 t bulk container liners with GrainPro or equivalent barrier for specialty lots. Cocoa in 62.5 kg or 65 kg jute bags.
- Container loading20ft: 18 t to 21 t bagged. 40ft: 24 t to 26 t with a bulk liner. Coffee and cocoa are weight limited, tea is volume limited.
- Contract and arbitrationCoffee on the European Coffee Contract or GCA terms with ICE Futures US as the price reference, arbitration under ECF or GCA rules. Cocoa on Federation of Cocoa Commerce or CMAA contracts with FCC arbitration in London. Tea on the rules of the selling auction centre or on the terms of the importing association.
- Destination limitsEU pesticide MRLs under Regulation 396/2005, where anthraquinone and glyphosate are the recurring tea failures. Ochratoxin A and aflatoxin limits and cadmium limits on cocoa under Regulation 2023/915. EUDR (Regulation 2023/1115) due diligence with plot geolocation applies to cocoa and coffee. US FDA import alerts apply to pesticide residues and to mould.
Common questions
What grades of yerba mate does SIP Global trade?
We quote 28 published grades of yerba mate, including Leaf fraction - Percentage by mass, Stem fraction - Percentage by mass, Powder fraction - Percentage by mass, Con palo - With stem, Despalada - Without stem and Foreign vegetable matter - Percentage by mass. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is yerba mate graded?
Yerba mate is graded on the ratio of leaf to stem, powder content, particle size distribution across a sieve stack, maturation period and moisture. Grading runs on 4 systems: Composition, Granulometry, Processing and maturation and Physical and chemical requirements.
Where does SIP Global trade yerba mate?
We trade yerba mate in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia and 16 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is yerba mate harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Argentina: harvest mar to sep, arrival sep to mar; Brazil: harvest apr to sep, arrival oct to mar; Paraguay: harvest mar to aug, arrival aug to jan. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for yerba mate?
Yerba mate is normally classified under HS 0903.00 (mate). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for yerba mate?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 2 listed yerba mate markets are published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.