Tierra Verde Pushes Back on Federal Export Rules

The Cooperative Council of Tierra Verde submitted a petition to the Federal Assembly on Monday, challenging the structure of export tariffs that govern yerba mate and coffee shipments routed through Oriente Moderno's ports. The petition argues that current federal policy imposes cumulative costs on inland producers that effectively subsidize coastal competitors and undermine fair pricing for Tierra Verde's smallholders.

The complaint centers on what the council calls "asymmetric loading fees." Because Tierra Verde has no port and no maritime jurisdiction, all export cargo must be transported by rail and river barge to Oriente Moderno, where it is containerized and shipped. The federal tariff schedule, the council argues, applies loading and handling charges at each transition point—rail to barge, barge to rail, rail to port—in a way that does not account for the distance and the number of transfers required for landlocked shipments.

The council has calculated that a standard shipment of yerba mate bound for export incurs approximately nine percent in cumulative tariff costs by the time it reaches Oriente Moderno's container terminal. A comparable shipment from Costa Mar, which has its own port infrastructure, incurs roughly four percent. The difference, multiplied across thousands of shipments per year, translates to millions of florins in lost revenue for Tierra Verde producers.

Federal Treasury Minister Marcus Eklund acknowledged the petition in a brief statement on Tuesday, saying the matter "warrants careful review" and that the ministry would consult with Oriente Moderno and the Federal Council before responding.