Yemenis waste millions of dollars, hours on chewing, sitting

SANA'A, July 16 (Saba) - Yemenis spend nearly $ 156 million annually

on chewing Qat, official documents suggest.

The News Yemen cited a professor of measurement and elite and competitive guidance
and movement science at the Physical Education and Sport College in Yemen's western
province of Hodeida as saying that the European Commission said 3 million Yemeni
people were found unable to secure food and necessary living items for their
families.

The number soared in 2002 to 5 million people and in 2008 increased but the
professor did not give a specific number.

Fathi Ahmed al-Saqaf also said that Yemeni people waste about 20 million hours a day
chewing Qat and away of workplaces.

Every individual's portion is estimated at 1460 hours.

Yemeni people give priority to buy Qat and tobacco while providing necessary items
for their families comes second.

About a million Yemeni families depend on selling Qat to make a living.

Qat issues are reflected on water consumption as well, with the professor saying
that 85% of wells in the country being used to irrigate Qat trees. On hectares being
planted in Qat, al-Saqaf said 60% of Yemen's arable and irrigated land is planted in
Qat.

Al-Saqaf's remarks were given in a lecture on the effects of Qat and adavantges of
sport delivered at the MANARAT center on Tuesday.