This archive report was first published on 3 January 2020.
Construction of the first state-funded miraa trading centre is underway in Meru County, marking a significant boost for miraa farmers in the region. The Sh25 million centre, located at Muringene market in Igembe Central, will provide ample space for trading, packing, and storage of the fresh produce.
According to Kimani Munjuri, chairman of the Nyambene Miraa Traders Association and a member of the Miraa Task Force Report Implementation Technical Team, the centre will ensure orderly trading and hygienic handling of miraa, ultimately eradicating roadside trading.
The centre is one of several projects being financed from the Treasury's Sh1 billion allocation under the 2018/2019 budget. The funds were distributed on a pro rata basis to the three counties of Embu, Tharaka Nithi, and Meru, with the projects being implemented by the Miraa Task Force team, under the State Department of Crops chaired by Administration Secretary Kello Harsama.
Construction of two more centres at Maua and Laare is expected to be completed by March 2020, further enhancing the miraa trading infrastructure in the region.
