Tuesday, February 26, 2013

A Look At Afghanistan's Drug Economy


Why Afghanistan May Never Eradicate Opium -- Dawood Azami, BBC

Despite the best efforts of Afghanistan's drug eradication programme, the BBC has learned that farmers in several Afghan provinces, which had been deemed poppy-free, have gone back to cultivating opium poppies.

For years Afghanistan has been the world's largest producer of opium, the raw material for heroin, most of which is exported to Iran, Russia and Europe.

Programmes by the Nato-led Isaf force, the Afghan government and the UN to entice farmers away from cultivating the flower met with some success.

But farmers say that the high sale price of opium is difficult for them to resist.

They have another gripe: although the Afghan government and the international community initiated opium eradication programmes, many farmers say promises to provide high-quality seeds and fertiliser, carry out developmental projects and promote alternative careers have not been kept.

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan's Drug Trade

$200 million in Afghan heroin seized in drug bust near Moscow -- RT
The Ugly Truth behind the Opium Policy -- Mohammad Rasouli, Khaama Press
Little relief for Afghan drug addicts -- Deutsche Welle
The plight of Afghanistan’s opium brides
-- RAWA/Deutche Welle
Afghan Opium Brides -- Emily Simons, The International
Afghan kids suffer opium addiction -- News24
Opium is currency -- Economist
Afghans Sell Daughters to Pay Drug Lords -- Osun Defender
Afghan corruption, opium, and the strange case of Kam Air -- Christian Science Monitor
Afghanistan, Garden of Empire -- Julien Mercille, Antiwar.com

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