Paraguay's Mate Tea Growers' Association in Itapúa Province is protesting the current price of Mate tea, which is significantly lower than the agreed benchmark price. The farmers are considering switching to less profitable soybeans due to the current market conditions. In response, they have destroyed about 200 hectares of plantations in protest. The Paraguayan Mate Center reports that Paraguay produces 45 million kilograms of mate tea annually, a product that is sold to 27 countries and provides livelihoods for 55,000 families.