Traders seek to seal Djibouti miraa market deal after trial

Unlike Somalia, Djibouti buyers prefer contracts of up to five years with guaranteed quantities and quality, with specific demands such as the length of twigs.

While the Djibouti market is small compared to Somalia, the lobby said local farmers and traders require more markets. They said it's an opportunity to establish a reliable fallback in view of the volatility of the Somalia market.

"It would also come in handy in mopping up surpluses during seasons of favourable weather when we get bumper harvests," said Kimathi.

Ethiopia civil war

Although Djibouti alongside Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo, Israel and Swaziland were identified among the countries where new markets could be explored as they have no laws outlawing miraa consumption, the exploratory export flights were an initiative of the traders.

"The Djiboutians had sent us distress messages in view of the instability in their normal source market in Ethiopia which is currently facing civil strife. But we are aware that Ethiopia dispatched a minister to Djibouti within a week of our first cargo flight. Thats the type of government aid we require in this country," added Munjuri.

"Many traders came at the airport to receive the cargo and it hit the streets immediately with many saying it was a sigh of relief to get Kenya miraa. The consumers talked of the very good quality."

Meanwhile, the traders said a contentious commission on exports to Somalia was still being levied even after President William Ruto promised to intervene.

Traders claim a commission of US$4.5 (about Sh544) per kilo collected by airfreight operators to Somalia has been eating into their markups and working against Kenyan produce as compared to the cheaper Ethiopian khat (herera).

In a thanksgiving rally at the Maua Stadium in Meru on September 11, President Ruto promised to sort out the mess.

"Leave the cartels to me," he said in response to an appeal by Igembe South MP John Paul Mwirigi. "I will have a meeting this seek with the Somalia president where we shall sort out the miraa markets. You should never be worried because I will deal with all brokers and cartels."