Afghanistan s Opium War

C. Opium production

Opium production has increased.

Afghanistan remains the world's largest supplier of opium, producing 87 per cent of the world's opium.

Winning with Opium in Afghanistan

C. Opium production 104 26

I know what's inside. Opium

UNODC data indicate that the global supply of opium and heroin has remained stable, with a continued decline in illicit opium poppy cultivation and opium production in South East Asia.

The study found that both raw material production systems (opium and opium straw) had inherent potential for diversion and abuse.

The opium poppy cultivation in the Dir district constitutes approximately 40 per cent of the total opium cultivation in Pakistan.

I. Opium global production estimates, 1995 4

Winfried Kleinert (Germany), Federal Opium Agency, Berlin

To address the problem of opium poppy cultivation, a demonstration alternative development project has been launched in the major opium producing area.

In that connection, he welcomed opium importers affirmation that they would continue to give preference to traditional suppliers of opium raw materials.

It meant paying with opium for Chinese goods.

2. Opium seizures, by region, 1980 1994 5

High opium prices partly accounted for that development.

In Shinwar district, opium cultivation was almost unchanged.

According to the survey, the 55,000 58,000 hectares under opium poppy cultivation during the growing season 1995 96 yielded 2,200 2,300 tonnes of opium.

Moreover, while certain efforts by the Government of Afghanistan have resulted in the reduction of opium cultivation in some regions traditionally famous for opium production, opium cultivation has increased in the regions bordering my country, especially in the Farah province.

Heroin is manufactured primarily within the opium producing regions.

Note Heroin and morphine are shown as opium equivalent.

Religion for the people. Opium for the aching limb.

Twenty ounces tincture of opium. Fifty ounces of vitriol.

They once found opium there in some ghee tins

In 1909, 13 countries formed an Opium Commission, leading to the conclusion of the International Opium Convention, signed at The Hague on 23 January 1912.

It has focused on strengthening the national capacity to bring about socio economic changes that will enable farmers to eliminate opium poppy cultivation and opium abuse.

National authorities estimate the total area under illicit opium poppy cultivation to be close to 2,000 hectares, capable of producing about 30 tonnes of opium annually.

42. Illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, opium production, heroin manufacturing and large scale illicit trafficking in opiates constitute the major drug problem in Asia.

Cotton does not compete with opium a t shirt does.

Unfortunately, Afghanistan's share of opium production continues to remain high.

Figure 1. Opium global illicit production and seizures, 1980 1994

Note Seized heroin and morphine are shown as opium equivalent.

According to the annual UNDCP Afghanistan opium poppy survey conducted during the 1995 96 growing season, the area under opium poppy cultivation was estimated to be in the range of 55,000 58,000 hectares, with an estimated corresponding yield of 2,200 2,300 tonnes of opium.

South Asia also has significant illicit production of drugs and psychotropic substances, such as opium, heroin (primarily leakage from the licit opium production) and methaqualone produced in India.

Figure II. Opium poppy cultivation, estimated by country, 1994 and 1995

Figures 1. Opium global illicit production and seizures, 1980 1994 4

The production of opium poppy has more than tripled since 1985.

Preliminary results of the 1997 opium poppy survey carried out by the Government of Pakistan indicate that an area of 345 hectares was under opium poppy cultivation in 1997.

Another expert, reviewing the situation in China, emphasized the determination with which successive Governments of China had fought both opium abuse and the traffic in opium from foreign sources.

Opium poppy cultivation is the principal economic activity in Afghanistan and the current production of dry opium more than 2,200 metric tons a year reportedly equals the combined production of the other three biggest opium producers in the world, with important consequences for the global consumption of heroin.

According to the Myanmar Opium Survey Report, released by UNODC in November 2005, there was an 80 per cent decline in opium poppy cultivation in Myanmar between 1996 and 2005.

At the start of project activities, 150 hectares were sown with opium.

We are in the land of opium and there are no opiates.

With record production of an estimated 4,200 tons of opium in Afghanistan, UNODC's 2004 opium cultivation survey registered a 64 per cent increase in the area under cultivation in that country.