13/07/2026 09:31 - Turismo
According to LA NACION, the third day of the 20th edition of Caminos y Sabores, opened on Saturday, July 11, 2026, registered an extraordinary turnout. The fair, held at its new venue at BA Ferial in Costa Salguero, estimated an attendance of 25,000 people on its third day, bringing the total to approximately 70,000 visitors in the first three days of activity.
Martín Schvartzman, CEO of Exponenciar, the organizing company, highlighted that there is a 30% increase in public compared to the previous edition. One of our characteristics is that boutique touch: you find things that aren't in supermarkets, and you see people leaving with their shopping carts or little suitcases, the executive remarked.
The move to BA Ferial responds to a strategic concession decided by the city's Head of Government, Jorge Macri, awarded for 10 years to the organizer. Exponenciar plans an investment of 20 billion Argentine pesos (ARS) to improve the premises, which will include the demolition of a pavilion to build a new one with a terrace, aspiring to become an urban icon comparable to the Floralis Genérica or the Obelisk.
In this 20th edition, 18 provinces participate, each with between 25 and 48 producers, adding to the contribution of the Nation through a stand from the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA).
The Camino de las Infusiones (Path of Infusions), with yerba mate at the forefront, was one of the most crowded spaces of the day. The productive context is key: the national Government deregulated the yerba mate activity, so the National Institute of Yerba Mate (INYM) lost the power to set prices for the raw material. This caused a drop in values that complicates things for small plot producers, although the Government highlights the decrease in final consumer prices.
Faced with this scenario, ventures like Fronteras bet on quality and sustainable plastic-free packaging. Their half-kilo package sells for 6,000 Argentine pesos (ARS), double the conventional brands. Another case is Don Omar, a brand that has been producing for 20 years and focuses strongly on exporting to Europe and the Middle East due to the difficulty of competing in the domestic market; and Zapecá, from Misiones, which cultivates organically under native trees.
The grand prize in this category went to Yamila Cámpora and her daughter, with the brand I Love Mate, chosen as the best yerba mate of the fair for their philosophy of offering a smoke-free, gas-dried product, achieving an authentic flavor.
According to the San Luis News Agency, the province stood out greatly in the traditional 'Experiencias del Sabor 2026' competition, winning two of the five main available awards.
The 'Conexión San Luis' stand, recently visited by Governor Claudio Poggi, celebrated that the Gin Eternal venture obtained first place in the Gin Category, while Manjares de Merlo was distinguished with the award for Best Marplatense-Style Alfajor. A true pride that reaffirms the talent of local producers on the country's most important gastronomic stage.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
