Afghan Farmers Warn Of Return To Poppy Cultivation

LASHGARGAH, Aug 29 Asia Pulse - A large number of farmers in Afghanistan's southern Helmand have warned of a resumption in poppy cultivation, saying the non-provision of alternative sources of living, as promised by the Afghan government, had forced them to grow the cash crop.

The aggrieved poppy growers say they ceased poppy cultivation following assurances of financial support from the official quarters, but nothing has been done despite the lapse of two years.

Bismillah Jan, 28, resident of the Marjee square, said believing in the official assurances, the farmers cultivated cotton and sold the yield to the government. "But to our surprise, they paid us the price after visiting the government offices for two months."

Another farmer Said Ahmed said there was acute shortage of water in the area. "We use to irrigate our fields with water pumps but the harvest is far below the toil we do throughout the season. Only poppy cultivation can return us the real price for our year-long hard work." Pleading his case, a shopkeeper in the Marjee square alleged all the government officials were involved in opium smuggling. "I know all these government officials involved in the illegal business. No one can smuggle the contraband if the concerned officials launch sincere efforts."

more:http://au.news.yahoo.com/050829/3/vpdz.html

It's higher now than it's ever been. It's been conjectured that getting the Afghan opium trade back on track was a major motivation of the Afghan invasion, particularly given that the invasion followed in the wake of a highly-effective Taliban prohibition on opium cultivation.

Some details are at the UN's websites here.