NCJ Number
229060
Date Published
January 2009
Length
48 pages
Annotation
After an overview of the status of opium cultivation in Afghanistan as of the winter of 2009, this report examines specific factors in various areas of the country that are affecting the level of opium cultivation and resulting opium prices.
Abstract
Following the 19-percent reduction in opium cultivation in Afghanistan in 2008 (157,000 ha), the current 2009 Opium Winter Rapid Assessment by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) anticipates a further decrease in opium cultivation. The 18 provinces reported to be poppy-free in 2008 are likely to remain so in 2009, and the number of such provinces may increase to 22 if timely and appropriate poppy eradication measures are implemented in Baghlan, Hirat, Badakhshan, and Faryab provinces. In the south and southwest of the country, reduced opium cultivation is due to high wheat prices, low opium prices, and the low availability of water due to severe drought. Further development assistance and the engagement of all stakeholders can turn drug zones into "Food Zones." Despite the anticipated reduction in the opium crop, prices continue to decline by approximately 20 percent. This is attributed to the massive glut on the opium market due to major overproduction during the last 3 years. The drug trade continues to be a major source of revenue for antigovernment forces and organized crime that exists in and around Afghanistan. Drug money is also a factor in government corruption. Although the opium trend is in the right direction, long-term structural changes are still needed. This must include the eradication of poverty, the elimination of government corruption, and the strengthening of law enforcement measures against the threat posed by drugs and crime. These findings are based on a small sample of villages, and the results are meant to be indicative. 9 tables, 2 figures, 10 maps, and findings by province