Opium Production Soars in Afghanistan

In addition to being one of the front lines of the War on Terror, Afghanistan is also ground zero for the Ward on drugs, as evidenced by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime 2007 Annual Opium Survey. The study, released today, shows that areas used for opium cultivation rose from 165,000 hectares in 2006 to 193,000 hectares in 2007.

Afghanistan's $3 billion a year opium trade accounts for more than 90 percent of the world's illegal opium output. Last year's opium harvest was 6100 tons. An estimated 8200 tons will be harvested in 2007, a 30 percent jump. Most of Afghanistan's opium production is concentrated in the southern provinces. While the total number of hectares rose in 2007, the total number of counties growing opium in northern Afghanistan doubled to 13 from six.

"The Afghan opium situation looks grim, but it is not yet hopeless," UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said. The Balkh province in northern Afghanistan has no hectares devoted to poppy production after having 7200 hectares last year. The government is stronger in northern and central Afghanistan, but insurgents remain in control in the southern part of the country. Over 80 percent of opium grown in Afghanistan was grown in a handful of provinces along the Pakistani border.

"Opium cultivation is inversely related to the degree of Government control. Where anti-Government forces reign, poppies flourish," said Costa. Prior to the U.S. Led War on Terror, the Taliban had declared opium a sin, but reversed that declaration in recent years. Many Afghanis still view opium production as immoral and against Islam and refuse to cultivate it. "Only 14 per cent of the population is involved in opium cultivation. The vast majority of Afghans want to turn their country away from drugs and crime. They deserve our support," said Costas. Costas is seeking greater deterrents to planting opium, and wants the government to get tougher on corruption that allows the opium trade to flourish.

The opium trade is inextricably linked to the insurgency, with the Taliban using opium moey for weapons and financial supports. "Since drugs are funding insurgency, Afghanistan's military and its allies have a vested interest in destroying heroin labs, closing opium markets and bringing traffickers to justice. Tacit acceptance of opium trafficking is undermining stabilization efforts," said Costas.

The USONDC has set a goal to see one half of the country's 34 provinces become opium-free by 2008.

Source: 2007 Annual Opium Survey (http://www.unodc.org/pdf/research/AFG07_ExSum_web.pdf)