Miraa farmers urged to form chamber of commerce

MERU, KENYA: The county Deputy Governor Raphael Muriungi has proposed the formation of a chamber of commerce for economic development of miraa farmers. The deputy governor said the miraa farmers constitute a critical mass able to earn billions of shillings, but were hampered by lack of a proper framework of producing, marketing and selling their produce.

Mr Muriungi, addressing miraa famers and traders in Maua town, said the stimulant is now a scheduled crop, and thus farmers were free to form a chamber of commerce to champion their economic interests. 

"A chamber of commerce exists to unite the business community and so it is important for miraa farmers to join it, to benefit from training as well as get advise on emerging entrepreneurial policy changes. As it is miraa farmers just produce and sell to brokers, and are unaware of the dynamics involved," said Mr Muriungi. 

Muriungi, a former Igembe Central MP and who also has a stake in the miraa industry, said a chamber of commerce was the way to go, to beat financial losses occasioned by the ban of the crop in key European markets. 

"A chamber of commerce would support the prosperity of miraa farmers and promote the rich heritage the crop has, through education of all stakeholders. The chamber would be able to identify the important issues on its growth and sale," Muriungi said. 

"A chamber of commerce would be able to provide resources, including financial, to create an enabling environment for farmers to increase production of high quality miraa. Farmers would be able to get connected to business people engaged in related businesses,' Muriungi said.

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Miraa