Article

2015-04-16 Arabia

Despite conflict, demand for qat still strong in Yemen

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2015-04-16 00:00|| || Front Page|| [7 views ] Top

#1 Being curious, I did a quick google search on the subject of qat in Yemen. It seems that, just as Afghanistan has the opium poppy, Yemen has qat, whose stimulent properties range from that of drinking coffee to causing hallucinations and the inability to sleep, dependent on variety, growing conditions and the age of the leaves chewed -- 40 named varieties, to be precise, cultivated in the northern highlands, and every afternoon chewed by about 90% of men, up to 60% of women, and perhaps 20% of children, during which time they socialize and nothing else gets done. The stuff is so profitable that even Yemen's famous coffee trees are being torn out so the land can be turned to qat cultivation. And the stuff sucks up so much water that it is a major contributor to Yemen's serious water shortage problems. However, unlike tea or opium, which are processed before use, and therefore can be stockpiled, qat leaves are stripped from the freshly harvested branch by the user, who is thus dependent on frequent deliveries from the plantations as we do for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Interestingly, while the non-chewer is looked at askance in Yemen, in neighbouring Saudi Arabia the leaf is forbidden altogether, which is no doubt why Saudi Arabia is bombing Yemen instead of vice versa.

Posted by trailing wife 2015-04-16 07:12|| 2015-04-16 07:12|| Front Page Top

#2 "Despite"?

Posted by Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2015-04-16 08:35|| 2015-04-16 08:35|| Front Page Top

#3 So Saudi should be bombing with Paraquat?

Posted by 3dc 2015-04-16 09:58|| 2015-04-16 09:58|| Front Page Top

#4 Took the words right out of my mouth, 3dc. No qat, people turn on each other instead of mellowing out.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2015-04-16 14:14|| 2015-04-16 14:14|| Front Page Top

23:59 JosephMendiola
23:59 Zenobia Floger6220
23:50 Glenmore
22:26 Frank G
21:58 Procopius2k
21:41 Airandee
21:24 badanov
21:09 phil_b
20:32 OldSpook
20:01 Bill Clinton
19:57 Bill Clinton
19:46 Rambler in Virginia
18:46 Blossom Unains5562
18:40 g(r)omgoru
18:40 Mugsy Glink
18:34 Bright Pebbles
18:30 Bright Pebbles
18:28 Bright Pebbles
18:27 Iblis
18:23 g(r)omgoru
18:19 g(r)omgoru
18:10 Besoeker
18:06 Ebbang Uluque6305
17:40 Pappy