Qat becomes a staple of World Cup gatherings in Yemen

By Faisal Darem in Yemen
For Al-Shorfa.com
2010-07-06

[Faisal Darem/Al-Shorfa] Qat vendors say prices increased 50% during the World Cup.

In Yemen the two most popular activities this summer are watching World Cup matches and chewing qat.

Prices of qat rose more than 50%, and qat usage increased during World Cup matches particularly as qat is an indispensable social component of all Yemeni occasions.

"At the outset, I did not know World Cup games were the reason behind the big demand for qat these days until one of my customers who usually buys a 500-riyal bag of qat came and bought a bag for 1,500 riyals," Qat seller Dares Mohammed told Al-Shorfa.

"When I asked him why he had all this qat, he said the World Cup prompted people to buy qat, especially during the first days of the competition when three matches were held on a single day."

Dares wishes the World Cup lasted the whole year because he is selling three times his normal amount. The high demand caused qat prices to increase 50%, he said.

Entertainment venues and hotels designated special areas for World Cup viewing. When preparing them, they ensured that sitting areas would be suitable for consuming qat, especially by enthusiastic fans.

"The World Cup revived domestic tourism, but if I hadn't prepared special areas for watching the World Cup that were suitable for those using qat and the 'mukhazzinin' the hotel would not have this turnout," Mohammed Al-Burti, a Sanaa hotel owner, told Al-Shorfa.

Abdul Latif Abdullah, a man in his 20s, told Al-Shorfa, "I don't use qat except on weekends, but we must use qat daily to watch the matches with others. Not using qat around other fans who use it would make me the subject of ridicule."

"Demand is greater on certain days than others," qat seller Mohammed Dahan told Al-Shorfa. "The reason for this is matches that interest the Yemeni public, such as games involving the Algerian team and ones featuring Asian and African teams."

"On a day when one of these teams plays, demand increases, just as it increases when two strong teams play each other," Dahan said. "Qat users are lucky the World Cup was held during a major qat production period, the summer, which is also when prices drop somewhat compared with winter."

Dr. Hamoud Al-Awdi, a professor of sociology at the University of Sanaa, told Al-Shorfa, "Qat accompanies every social occasion in Yemen, whether sad or happy. Based on the size of the occasion, qat befitting this occasion is prepared in terms of the type of qat present."

"Qat is the first item present at all Yemeni occasions such as holidays, weddings or Ramadan," he added. "The World Cup is an occasion of particular interest. We find Yemenis using the best types of qat for occasions like this."

"The World Cup had an impact on work and culture in society generally because many employees took vacations from work and watched the World Cup. Their sole companion during this long holiday is qat," al-Awdi added.

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