Afghanistan opium crop increases

Insecurity and rising opium prices drove Afghan farmers to increase cultivation of illicit opium poppy by seven per cent in 2011 despite a major push by the Afghan government and international allies to wean the country off of the lucrative crop, according to a United Nations report.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Oct 2011, 07:00 BST

Afghanistan is the largest producer of opium – the raw ingredient for heroin – providing about 80 per cent of the world’s crop.

Revenue has helped to fund insurgents and the number of people involved in the opium economy has made it difficult for the Afghan government to establish its presence in some regions.

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Yesterday’s report also shows opium cultivation is spreading to new parts of the country, a troubling trend as international troops are trying to stabilise Afghanistan so they can hand over security. Farmers cultivated 131,000 hectares of opium poppies in 2011, a seven per cent increase over the previous year, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said in its Afghan opium survey. Producers said they turned to the illegal opium poppy because of “economic hardship and lucrative prices”.

The jump came even though the Afghan government increased crop eradication by 65 per cent and made significant seizures.

There are now 17 provinces in Afghanistan affected by poppy cultivation, up from 14 a year ago. Three provinces which had been declared “poppy free” reverted to being opium producers again.

Opium is a profitable crop. Its per-hectare price more than doubled to $10,700 (£6,850) from $4,900 (£3,140), according to the report.

Related topics:Afghanistan