The government spokesperson, Isaac Mwaura, has announced a crackdown on miraa middlemen who have been exploiting miraa farmers in the country.
In a statement on Monday, April 21, Mwaura claimed that the government is currently conducting a vetting process for the middlemen to see their relicensing. Mwaura has warned that traders who fail to comply with the process will lose their licences.
"The government is not going to relent on this issue, and those who are going to resist this vetting, which started on the 14th this month, will lose their licences," he said.
According to Mwaura, middlemen have been buying miraa from the farmers at a price of Ksh200 and selling it for Ksh4,500, which he labelled as 'lobbing farmers' and contravenes the set government prices.
Mwaura has also cautioned that miraa exporters also risk losing their licences if they don't comply with the existing regulations for exporting the product.
The relicensing of these middlemen will ensure transparency in the sector and ensure that farmers earn a fair price for their produce.
"There have been cartels in the miraa industry that have been exploiting farmers. Their licences are being controlled by some other cartels, and that is why they were resisting. We, as the government, have decided to do a release for the three grades of Miraa," he said.
The announcement by Mwaura comes days after President William Ruto, during his tour in Meru on Wednesday, April 2, issued a stern warning to the miraa cartels, noting that they have often denied farmers the chance to enjoy their work.
Ruto assigned Deputy President Kithure Kindiki the role of restoring normalcy in the industry to ensure farmers accrue maximum benefits from the trade.
''I want to tell you that those who have made a ring of miraa cartels, I want to tell them that we only have three things with them. They should either stop the cartels' rings, or we will jail them. The third, should we send them on that 'journey'?'' Ruto stated.
On the other hand, the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, through a statement on Saturday, February 15, announced the increase in miraa prices.
According to the CS, the Grade 1 miraa price had been increased from Ksh700 to Ksh1,300. Similarly, the price of Grade 2 miraa was increased to Ksh700 from the previous retail price of Ksh350, while the cost of Alele miraa increased from Ksh500 to Ksh1,000.
According to Kagwe, the decision to increase Miraa prices was a step to address the market access challenges facing Miraa farmers in the country.
“Therefore, the new negotiated prices are Ksh1300, Ksh700, and Ksh1,000 for Grade 1, Grade 2, and Alele, respectively.
"These prices take effect immediately. The government will continue to address the market access challenges to expand on export opportunities in our current and new markets,” he said.
