Eldoret faces Miraa shortage as business gains traction!
“Consumers of miraa now must order for it in order to be assured of its availability, otherwise it is sold out as soon as it lands in Eldoret from Meru county”
Khat Images /Image Courtesy
By Hilda Ngetich
The sale of khat –miraa has gained traction in Eldoret- Uasin Gishu county now considered a new market for the green gold.
According to Joseph Murungi, a miraa seller ,the population of people consuming miraa in Eldoret has exponentially grown over the years.
Murungi however says the supply remains low compared to the demand.
“Consumers of miraa now must order for it in order to be assured of its availability, otherwise it is sold out as soon as it lands in Eldoret from Meru county”He notes
Due to the huge demand , the prices of khat are however very high and at times we are forced to make very little margins .He adds
Everyday Miraa pickups deliver the fresh product in Eldoret twice a day between 6am and 8pm.
The demand for the product is expected to double in the coming months as soon as Eldoret attains the City status.
Miraa, the local name for Khat (Catha edulis) is native to the horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It is an evergreen shrub, which is cultivated as a bush or small tree.
The succulent young tender twigs, leaves and shoots of the tree are consumed raw.
Globally, Khat is grown on commercial basis in Ethiopia, Yemen, Kenya and Eritrea.
In Kenya, the crop is cultivated in large quantities in Meru, Tharaka Nithi and Embu Counties.
It is estimated that 20 million people in the world consume Miraa on a daily basis.
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