Stiff competition is looming over Kenya’s Miraa business after Ethiopia reportedly ventured into the lucrative Somalia market for the produce. Somali media reports that the Ethiopian national carrier has already delivered the first consignment of miraa to the Aden Adde International Airport.
Somalia’s government had cleared Ethiopia for miraa trade even as the Kenyan stimulant remains illegal, with the Somali government beefing up security on its coastal waters to bar entry of Kenyan khat via the sea.
If Somali consumers get used to the Ethiopian variety of miraa, we may lose the market forever. More than 50 boats have been deployed in the ocean to stop us from using the sea. Why has our government allowed Ethiopia to outwit us? We’re aware that about 30 tonnes of khat was delivered to Mogadishu.
Nyambene Miraa Traders Association chairman, Kimathi Munjuri quoted by local newspaper
Munjuri further says that farmers and traders were now fatigued by the seven-month-long ban as they were in financial crisis.
Furthermore, cargo operators who have been ferrying Kenyan khat to Mogadishu are now contemplating to relocate to Ethiopia where the business is expected to boom
The Somali government has given Kenya five conditions ahead of lifting the blockade of miraa imports. The demands include:
- Kenya must treat Somalia as an equal
- Kenya must desist from interfering with Somalia’s internal affairs,
- Kenya must apologise for violating Somalia airspace
- Kenya must allow in goods from Somalia including fish, rice, sugar, honey, meat and milk
- Kenya must stop forcing flights from Somalia to make a detour to Wajir for inspection
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