Argentina is the largest producer of tea in Latin America and ninth worldwide. Argentine tea’s intense red color is a trait that makes it in high demand internationally as a blend improver (92 percent of the volume is exported).
Tea production and harvest in Argentina is more mechanized than the main producing countries in the world, even so there are important technical and social challenges. And no less important, the region where it is produced is located within the largest remaining area of the Atlantic Forest, a priority conservation area.
Over the last decade, the Argentine tea sector went through an intense period of modernization in terms of product quality and processes pushed by demanding foreign markets. This pressure translated into an extensive rollout of certification processes that reached 60 percent of the producers affording them access to high-value country chains and companies.
Within this scenario, small producers face the greatest challenges. Solidaridad, supported by strategic donors and partners, has worked for the last 10 years to improve opportunities for progress alongside these families.
It has been a complex process not exempt from some failed attempts, but it has resulted in successful interventions that have continued forth based on value perceived by both producers and buyers.
This work summarizes the main findings and results from the partnership with different actors, and our knowledge platform to continue contributing to a sustainable and inclusive future in the sector.