Qat cultivation to be banned

The cabinet is set to issue a decision soon on banning Qat cultivation at the bottom of valleys, which is widespread in the Jahran, Bakell, and Shara’ah valley bottoms in Dhamar governorate, a source in the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation has told the Yemen Observer.  

The prevention will also apply to al-Haqel valley in the Ibb governorate, and al-Boun, al-Hamdeh in Amran province and Matnah district in the governorate of Sana'a and other valleys known for grain cultivation, 

The source added that the cultivation of Qat had expanded remarkably in recent years in the valleys, which plants the seeds.  We fear if we don't take action, qat will dispalce grain in these fertile areas.”

Valley bottoms constitute a large proportion of available agricultural land; the wheat crop depends mostly on rain.

Government plans to increase grain cultivation are in the final stages in terms of preparation and will be implemented starting next agricultural season in March 2008. The project aims to expand the area devoted to cereal crop by 15 percent in the first phase. The latest statistics show that the cultivation of Qat occupies 236,138 hectares of agricultural land in Yemen at the end in 2006.

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