Farmers want miraa declared a cash crop

Miraa farmers now want the government to declare it a cash crop under the Agricultural Act to save them from the imminent losses following a UK government ban.

The Nyambene Miraa Traders Association said there was an urgent need for the decision after failed talks with Britain to grant growers a five-year window period to enable them to reorganise themselves.

The UK is Kenya’s largest export market for miraa. It slapped a ban on the crop with effect from June 24, following its parliament’s approval of a decision to reclassify it as a Class C drug.

On Thursday, the UK rejected Kenya’s petition for a review of the ban in a statement sent by the British High Commission in Nairobi.

“This decision was in no way targeted at Kenya directly. The UK Government has had a long-standing intention to review the legal status of miraa,” said Mr Stephen Burns, the head of communications, at the High Commission.

IMAGE OF MIRAA

The association's spokesperson, Kimathi M’munjuri, said declaring miraa a cash crop, would revive the trade.

“We also want to reorganise ourselves to sell miraa in other lucrative markets, such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and South Africa, with the help of the government,” he said.

“An extensive research should be conducted to find any medicinal value of miraa so that investors can help diversify end products,” said Mr M’munjiri.

According to M’munjiri, once declared a cash crop, this would change the image of miraa in other importing countries.

“Major European countries and Tanzania have closed their markets to the sale of miraa because of the image portrayed, especially by Kenya, of the product,” said Mr M’munjiri.

He said no research had been done to ascertain the medicinal value of the crop so that it could be consumed largely and processed in bulk as varied products targeting different markets.