Yemen’s troubled economy crimps rhino-horn trade

Visit October 1990. Market in Sanaa, rhino horn still carved into handles, but in much smaller quantities. We estimated that carvers use about 265 pounds per year. Price in Sanaa $700 per pound, less than Far East. Carving industry not shrunk, we counted 57 jambiyya workshops and 87 craftsmen. Minister discussed possibilkity of marking each horn individually and check stock regularly. The foreign minister said that he would ask the governor of the Central bank to allocate foreign exchange to import water-buffalo horn from India. We had audience with the Grand Mufti, yemen's religious leader, who agreed to issue a fatwa (religious edict) stating that it is against the will of God to cause the extinction of an animal.