Oñoirũ Association

Oñoirũ is a national initiative of peasant leadership, with over 20 years of experience in producing artisanal yerba mate that is fully agroecological, certified both nationally and internationally as an organic product. In addition to yerba mate, the association also produces agricultural foods and medicinal plants, while preserving native forests by integrating them with diverse crops.

This initiative is made up of the Agroecological Farmers Association of Paraguay Oñoirũ, which currently includes 134 families organized into committees across various districts in Northeast Itapúa. Among them are the founding committee Oñoirũ, the Women’s Committee “Oñondive,” the Youth Committee of Oñoirũ “Heñói Pyahu,” as well as a large number of new members who have chosen to be part of this movement toward agroecology as a way of life.

In the industry, the association stands out for its firm commitment to strengthening family farming, rescuing and promoting its knowledge and experiences with continuous training, to bolster the development of a sustainable and ecological local economy for both its members and the general public.

Oñoirũ yerba mate has quickly gained great preference among the most discerning consumers, both nationally and internationally. It has secured a place in well-known local organic and gourmet product stores, entered over 100 points of sale in supermarkets across the country, and made its first exports worldwide.

Strengthening Family Farming and Fair and Solidary Trade

Agroecological Cultivation Model and organic production of yerba mate with ongoing technical training.

Valuing Cultural Heritage and ancestral knowledge.

Mission

To be a leading company in organic and agroecological production, recognized nationally and internationally, especially in the yerba mate industry. We aim to improve the quality of life for our members and the community, promoting fair trade, social inclusion, and environmental care.

Vision

The “Agroecological Agriculture Association of Paraguay Oñoirũ” is a non-profit civil society organization that brings together agroecological producer committees in Paraguay with the goal of improving the quality of life for its members through:

  • Creating economic enterprises that improve the income of its members, offering a fair price for products and facilitating market access.
  • Promoting and encouraging agroecological production and environmental care.
  • Providing social services and continuous training for its members.

Business Unit Mission

To process and market agroecological yerba mate from the green leaves produced by members of the Agroecological Agriculture Association of Paraguay Oñoirũ, aiming to offer a high-quality product to consumers at a fair price. Additionally, to consolidate the Oñoirũ brand as an emblem of associative, organic, and peasant production.

The Industrial Plant

Our industrial plant is located at km 47.5 in the district of Edelira, Itapúa department, Paraguay, a historically yerba mate-producing area

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This site has been operating industrially since 2016, thanks to the support of various organizations such as the Municipality of Edelira and Itapúa and the MIC, serving as a collection and processing center for all yerba mate harvested by each associated committee. It also houses a large space for agroecological technical training offered to the community.

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The plant receives annual structural improvements and adjustments. Despite having suffered a disaster in 2019, it was rebuilt in record time thanks to collaborative work, increasing its production capacity by more than four times from 2018 to 2020.

Additionally, it is projected that between 2020 and 2027, production will double, thanks to organic certification and the optimization of various processing stages, which will result in both qualitative and quantitative improvements in the product.

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Currently, approximately 200,000 kg of yerba mate canchada is processed annually, with infrastructure capable of processing half a million kilograms per year, projected to distribute it to both national and international markets.

Mipyme Destacada 2019

The Oñoirũ Association was awarded the “Mipyme Destacada de 2019” for the adaptation of its facilities to obtain INAN registrations. Currently, the association holds R.E and RSPA certifications, as well as Industry Registration, Exporter Registration, Mades Certification, and Senave Drying Facility Registration. Additionally, they were recognized by the Program for the Competitiveness of SMEs by the MIC.

In this video, we share the evolution of our growth process, which achieved a remarkable 700% increase from 2017 to 2021. This success was achieved thanks to the organization and structuring of the business plan, developed with the initial support of Oxfam Intermón. This allowed Oñoirũ to position itself as a model company, pioneering in the sector with an associative and agroecological system that carries a strong social and environmental commitment, earning significant national and international recognition.

Our History

Oñoirũ agroecological yerba mate is produced in the district of Edelira, Itapúa department. Over 20 years ago, about 72 families of small peasant farmers formed the first Oñoirũ committee to work in the yerba mate industry, producing it ecologically for self-consumption, income, and supplying leaves to yerba mate companies in the area as a means of subsistence and resistance of their peasant culture, avoiding the displacement of the community and its youth due to migration to urban areas in search of economic sustenance for their families.

Since 2015, through self-management, they have begun processing the raw material collectively, drawing on the knowledge and experiences of their members in processing yerba mate and receiving constant technical training. Since 2017, they have started implementing a business plan for the commercial unit, thanks to the support of non-profit organizations, which generated exponential growth in sales in the following years. On March 10, 2018, the first Oñoirũ committee, along with the Women’s Committee “Oñondive” and the “3 de Febrero” committee, founded and constituted the “Oñoirũ” Association.

The name Oñoirũ, a Guaraní word that translates to “companions” in Spanish, was chosen in honor of its founders.

Today, the associated families come from the districts of Edelira, Itapúa Poty, Tomas R. Pereira, Yatytay, Natalio, and Alto Vera. In addition to yerba mate production, they are committed to the agroecological model, developing peasant agriculture that seeks local development and promotes a sustainable economy for the community.

The first Paraguayan yerba mate produced through the associative model of

Agroecological Family Farming

Quality Guarantee

Nationally and internationally certified.

ECOLOGICAL PRODUCT UF CERTIFIED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION - UF
ORGANIC PRODUCTION, CERTIFIED PRODUCTION AND COMMERCIALIZATION CHAIN BY THE NATIONAL SERVICE OF PLANT AND SEED QUALITY AND HEALTH - SENAVE
100% ORGANIC PRODUCT NOP CERTIFIED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE - USDA
ORGANIC PRODUCT CERTIFIED BY IMOCERT
PRODUCT WITH AGROECOLOGICAL IDENTITY SEAL (SIA) CERTIFIED BY THE WETLANDS WITHOUT BORDERS PROGRAM, TOGETHER WITH PROBIOMA, CODES, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS FROM BOLIVIA, PARAGUAY, AND BRAZIL.
ORGANIC PRODUCT AND ORGANIC FARM CERTIFIED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF ORGANIC PRODUCERS (APRO) AND THE PARTICIPATORY GUARANTEE SYSTEM - SPG APRO

Distribution

Oñoirũ yerba mate is currently available at more than 100 points of sale nationwide, including health food and gourmet stores, as well as major supermarket chains, earning great public recognition for its quality.

Additionally, it is the first 100% peasant-produced national yerba mate, with organic certifications for export, recording its first sales to countries such as Chile, Canada, Russia, and the United States.

Any business interested in commercializing o distributing the product in the local or international market can contact:

lng. Agr. Pedro Vega, Oñoirũ Manager
+595 981261661

SALES POINTS IN PARAGUAY

SALES POINTS IN CHILE

SALES POINTS IN POLAND

SALES POINTS IN FRANCE

SALES POINTS IN THE UNITED STATES

SALES POINTS IN MEXICO

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