Afghan Opium Production Falls

A report by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime says that opium cultivation in Afghanistan has dropped 19% or down to 157000 hectares from 193000 hectares in 07. However, Opium production has only dropped 6%, 8200 kg to 7700 kg because of a higher yield this year. Part of the reason for the decreased cultivation of opium is because of a famine in north west Afghanistan.

Most of the opium cultivation/production occurs in the south eastern provinces of Afghanistan where the taliban still operate. It is interesting to note that areas of heavy opium production correlate with taliban activity or vice versa.

Click
here to see a map of attacks in Afghanistan
Another interesting note is that for the past several years, opium production has far exceeded world opium demand. Yet the price for opium has not fallen significantly. In other words, someone is withholding huge quantities of opium from the market to keep prices up. Sound familiar? *Cough* oil *cough*

Follow this link to read the whole UN report.