Grade 1, Grade 2, and Alele kinds now cost twice as much thanks to revised miraa tariffs released by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Mutahi Kagwe, cabinet secretary for agriculture and livestock development, told media outlets that the new pricing are effective right now.
“To increase export opportunities in our existing and new markets, the government will continue to address the market access challenges,” he stated.
While the price of Grade 2 miraa has increased from Sh350 to Sh700, a kilogramme of Grade 1 miraa will now cost Sh1,300 instead of Sh700. A kilogramme of Alale now costs Sh1,000 instead of Sh500.
According to Kagwe, the Miraa price Formula Committee was created in accordance with regulation 29 of the Crops (Miraa) Regulations, 2023, with the intention of advising the sector on Kenyan miraa price.
In carrying out its responsibilities, the committee advises the sub-sector by analyzing production statistics, cost, supply, and demand, among other factors, he said.
According to him, the committee convened on February 13, 2025, and after reviewing the farmers’ and traders’ submissions, recommended the revised pricing to the minister.
Regulating, developing, and promoting Scheduled Crops is the responsibility of the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), which is a division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Miraa, also known as Catha edulis in botany, is a flowering evergreen tree that is commonly referred to as khat worldwide. It includes the local variant known as Muguka.
In the counties of Tharaka Nithi, Embu, and the Nyambene Hills in Meru, miraa grows natively.
The crop has also extended to a number of other counties, including Marsabit, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Murang’a, Machakos, Makueni, Laikipia, and West Pokot, as a means of increasing economic diversification.
In areas where miraa grows, the majority of households rely directly on it for their livelihood.
An estimated 10 million people use Miraa every day worldwide, and over four million people are thought to be indirectly dependent on the subsector.
In November 2016, Miraa was made a scheduled crop by amending the Crops Act (2013).
The crop’s scheduling permitted government involvement in the value chain for the purposes of development, promotion, and control.
