By SUSAN NYAWIRA
Sunday July 17, 2022
NAIROBI, Kenya June 10-Miraa traders are set to resume exporting the commodity to Somali after the lifting of a two-year ban which saw them lose out on earnings.
This is after Agriculture CS Peter Munya announced that the country’s new president Hassan Mohamud agreed to lift the ban on miraa imports from Kenya.
CS Munya says negotiations have been finalized and what is remaining is the signing of a deal which is set to take place in the next two weeks, a move that will see resumption of the Miraa trade between the two countries.
“We are just waiting to finalize the paperwork for us to resume trading miraa with Somalia,” said Munya
Former Somali President Mohammed Farmaajo suspended Miraa imports from Kenya two years ago citing COVID-19 restrictions but the suspension was never lifted as diplomatic issues kicked in.
The ban led to a loss of more than 50 tonnes of Kenyan khat valued at more than Sh20 million a day.
Following the deal, Munya has asked miraa traders to now prepare for the market, following the reopening of the market.
“We are taking the good news to our farmers to now prepare because the market will be open in two weeks,” he said.
He lauded President Uhuru Kenyatta for spearheading the talks that has seen the revival of the trade.CS Munya also revealed that in the agreement, once the trade officially resumes, the Miraa cargo to Somalia will be using the Isiolo Airport to Mogadishu because it is the shortest route.
He said traders wouldn’t need to take their product all the way to Wilson Airport.
In the agreement, Munya said Somalia would export their fish and fish products to the Kenya market.
According to the Ministry of Finance, in 2021, the import of Miraa contributed sh 1.3 billion in tax to the country’s revenue.