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| 'Sharp drop' in Afghan opium crop | 'Sharp drop' in Afghan opium crop |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Poppy cultivation and opium production in Afghanistan has decreased sharply, according to a United Nations report. | Poppy cultivation and opium production in Afghanistan has decreased sharply, according to a United Nations report. |
| The UN Office on Drugs and Crime says poppy cultivation has dropped by 22% in a year and opium production by 10%. | The UN Office on Drugs and Crime says poppy cultivation has dropped by 22% in a year and opium production by 10%. |
| The biggest falls have been in Helmand province, but levels remain higher than three years ago, when British troops began fighting the Taliban there. | The biggest falls have been in Helmand province, but levels remain higher than three years ago, when British troops began fighting the Taliban there. |
| World heroin prices remain low and sceptics suggest suppliers may be depleting stockpiles to boost prices. | World heroin prices remain low and sceptics suggest suppliers may be depleting stockpiles to boost prices. |
| See a map of opium production | See a map of opium production |
| Meanwhile, vote counting is still continuing after last month's Afghan election, which has been mired in claims of mass rigging. | Meanwhile, vote counting is still continuing after last month's Afghan election, which has been mired in claims of mass rigging. |
| The security situation in the country has been deteriorating, and the death toll of foreign troops is at a record high. | The security situation in the country has been deteriorating, and the death toll of foreign troops is at a record high. |
| European and US officials are meeting later in Paris to discuss a new strategy in Afghanistan. | European and US officials are meeting later in Paris to discuss a new strategy in Afghanistan. |
| 'Progress is possible' | 'Progress is possible' |
| The UN says the drugs trade, which helps fund the insurgency, threatens the legitimacy of the Afghan state. | The UN says the drugs trade, which helps fund the insurgency, threatens the legitimacy of the Afghan state. |
| The UNODC report called on the international community to sustain progress in Afghanistan, which produces 90% of the world's heroin. | The UNODC report called on the international community to sustain progress in Afghanistan, which produces 90% of the world's heroin. |
| It praised the introduction of UK-backed "food zones", which distribute wheat seed for farmers to plant. | It praised the introduction of UK-backed "food zones", which distribute wheat seed for farmers to plant. |
| The report said 20 of the country's provinces were now poppy-free, but the BBC's Chris Morris in Kabul says that does not mean they are free of the refining and trafficking of drugs. | The report said 20 of the country's provinces were now poppy-free, but the BBC's Chris Morris in Kabul says that does not mean they are free of the refining and trafficking of drugs. |
| The UN report said that the price of opium was at a 10-year low. | The UN report said that the price of opium was at a 10-year low. |
| The UNODC's executive director, Antonio Costa, said: "The bottom is starting to fall out of the Afghan opium market. These results are a welcome piece of good news and demonstrate that progress is possible." | The UNODC's executive director, Antonio Costa, said: "The bottom is starting to fall out of the Afghan opium market. These results are a welcome piece of good news and demonstrate that progress is possible." |
| But he warned that Afghan drugs still have catastrophic consequences: funding criminals, insurgents and terrorists, encouraging corruption and undermining public trust. | But he warned that Afghan drugs still have catastrophic consequences: funding criminals, insurgents and terrorists, encouraging corruption and undermining public trust. |
| AFGHANISTAN'S OPIUM Poppy cultivation:2008 - 157,000 hectares2009 - 123,000 hectaresPotential opium production:2008 - 7,700 tonnes2009 - 6,900 tonnesPoppy-cultivating provinces:2008 - 16 2009 - 14Poppy-free provinces:2008 - 18 | AFGHANISTAN'S OPIUM Poppy cultivation:2008 - 157,000 hectares2009 - 123,000 hectaresPotential opium production:2008 - 7,700 tonnes2009 - 6,900 tonnesPoppy-cultivating provinces:2008 - 16 2009 - 14Poppy-free provinces:2008 - 18 |
| 2009 - 20 | 2009 - 20 |
| Source: UN US to target 'drug lords' Karzai leading in vote SEE THE FULL REPORT class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/02_09_09_unodc_afghan_opium_2009.pdf">UN Afghan Opium Report [4.57 MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader | |
| Download the reader here | |
| Some sceptics suggest that - as world heroin prices remain low - the fall in opium production may simply be a temporary tactic by suppliers to drive prices back up. | |
| Thomas Schweich, who was US ambassador for counter-narcotics in Afghanistan from 2007-08, conceded there might be "a little bit of truth" to that. | Thomas Schweich, who was US ambassador for counter-narcotics in Afghanistan from 2007-08, conceded there might be "a little bit of truth" to that. |
| But in an interview with the BBC he insisted that nonetheless, the overall trend remained a downward one that represented a victory for eradication strategies. | But in an interview with the BBC he insisted that nonetheless, the overall trend remained a downward one that represented a victory for eradication strategies. |
| "It's a sustainable trend, not a one-year anomaly," said Mr Schweich. | "It's a sustainable trend, not a one-year anomaly," said Mr Schweich. |
| This year there were 69,833 hectares devoted to poppy growing in Helmand, a sharp fall from 103,590 hectares in 2008, the report found. | This year there were 69,833 hectares devoted to poppy growing in Helmand, a sharp fall from 103,590 hectares in 2008, the report found. |
| However, this year's figure was also more than double the 26,500 hectares used for poppy growing in the province in 2005, the year before British troops deployed in the area. | However, this year's figure was also more than double the 26,500 hectares used for poppy growing in the province in 2005, the year before British troops deployed in the area. |
| Political instability | Political instability |
| Helmand continues to account for nearly 60% of the country's total production of the drug, the UNODC report said. | Helmand continues to account for nearly 60% of the country's total production of the drug, the UNODC report said. |
| ANALYSIS Chris Morris, BBC News, Kabul | ANALYSIS Chris Morris, BBC News, Kabul |
| One of the things the UN is extremely concerned about is what it calls the ticking bomb of huge stockpiles of opium in Afghanistan - enough, it says, to fuel two year's supply of world heroin. | One of the things the UN is extremely concerned about is what it calls the ticking bomb of huge stockpiles of opium in Afghanistan - enough, it says, to fuel two year's supply of world heroin. |
| The fact that there are these huge reserves out there somewhere, coupled with prices lower than they have been for 10 years, means that market forces are clearly pushing opium cultivation down. And that could always be reversed. The hope is that this is the start of a long-term downward trend, but it cannot be guaranteed. | The fact that there are these huge reserves out there somewhere, coupled with prices lower than they have been for 10 years, means that market forces are clearly pushing opium cultivation down. And that could always be reversed. The hope is that this is the start of a long-term downward trend, but it cannot be guaranteed. |
| The UN is still worried about the corrosive effect of corruption linked to the drugs trade, and it says more needs to be done to persuade farmers that taking on alternative livelihoods can be to their benefit. So this is a window of opportunity, but it is nowhere near the end of the fight. | The UN is still worried about the corrosive effect of corruption linked to the drugs trade, and it says more needs to be done to persuade farmers that taking on alternative livelihoods can be to their benefit. So this is a window of opportunity, but it is nowhere near the end of the fight. |
| Mohammed Jawad, a farmer in the Helmand city of Lashkar Gah, told the BBC he would grow poppy if he could get away with it. | Mohammed Jawad, a farmer in the Helmand city of Lashkar Gah, told the BBC he would grow poppy if he could get away with it. |
| "This year I'm growing wheat, tomatoes, potatoes and watermelon," he said. "The government is not letting us grow poppy. If I was further away, I would grow poppy. I know growing poppy takes a lot of work, but what can we do?" | "This year I'm growing wheat, tomatoes, potatoes and watermelon," he said. "The government is not letting us grow poppy. If I was further away, I would grow poppy. I know growing poppy takes a lot of work, but what can we do?" |
| Ahead of Wednesday's meeting in Paris by European and American officials to discuss Afghanistan, US envoy Richard Holbrooke told French media that a summer offensive in the south to flush out the Taliban had yielded results. | Ahead of Wednesday's meeting in Paris by European and American officials to discuss Afghanistan, US envoy Richard Holbrooke told French media that a summer offensive in the south to flush out the Taliban had yielded results. |
| "The coalition forces including the British and Americans have done vast damage to the Taliban, disrupted them, captured major caches of opium, heroin and drug paraphernalia," Mr Holbrooke told France 24 television. | "The coalition forces including the British and Americans have done vast damage to the Taliban, disrupted them, captured major caches of opium, heroin and drug paraphernalia," Mr Holbrooke told France 24 television. |
| 'Wholesale vote-rigging' | 'Wholesale vote-rigging' |
| Afghanistan faces mounting political instability over last month's presidential election, which has been marred by delays in vote counting and allegations of fraud. | Afghanistan faces mounting political instability over last month's presidential election, which has been marred by delays in vote counting and allegations of fraud. |
| More than 1,300 foreign troops have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001 | More than 1,300 foreign troops have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001 |
| The New York Times carried claims on Tuesday that residents of the Shorabak district of Kandahar - members of the Bariz tribe - had been denied their votes wholesale after deciding to back President Hamid Karzai's main rival, Abdullah Abdullah. | The New York Times carried claims on Tuesday that residents of the Shorabak district of Kandahar - members of the Bariz tribe - had been denied their votes wholesale after deciding to back President Hamid Karzai's main rival, Abdullah Abdullah. |
| Tribal leaders told the newspaper that on election day an ally of President Karzai had detained the district's governor and shut down all 45 polling sites. | Tribal leaders told the newspaper that on election day an ally of President Karzai had detained the district's governor and shut down all 45 polling sites. |
| They said police had stuffed the ballot boxes with fake ballots before sending them to Kabul. | They said police had stuffed the ballot boxes with fake ballots before sending them to Kabul. |
| The newspaper said similar allegations had been made in many of Kandahar's 17 districts. Such allegations are vehemently denied by Mr Karzai. | The newspaper said similar allegations had been made in many of Kandahar's 17 districts. Such allegations are vehemently denied by Mr Karzai. |
| Vote tallies released on Monday from the 20 August poll showed President Karzai leading with nearly 46%, with Mr Abdullah at 33.2%. Mr Karzai needs 50% of the votes to avoid a run-off. | Vote tallies released on Monday from the 20 August poll showed President Karzai leading with nearly 46%, with Mr Abdullah at 33.2%. Mr Karzai needs 50% of the votes to avoid a run-off. |
| Foreign troops fighting in Afghanistan endured their deadliest month yet in August when 77 soldiers died, according to an independent website - icasualties.org - which tracks military casualties. | Foreign troops fighting in Afghanistan endured their deadliest month yet in August when 77 soldiers died, according to an independent website - icasualties.org - which tracks military casualties. |
| More than 300 troops have died in Afghanistan so far this year, making it the deadliest year since the 2001 US-led invasion to overthrow the Taliban. | More than 300 troops have died in Afghanistan so far this year, making it the deadliest year since the 2001 US-led invasion to overthrow the Taliban. |
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