The area under opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan for the year decreased by 19%
Almaty. December 10. Silkroadnews - Over the past year the area of plantations of opium in Afghanistan decreased for the first time in 6 years. This was reported by the head of the Ministry of Counter Narcotics IRA Salamat Azimi, reports AfTAG.
According to the anti-drug agency, if in 2014 opium poppy illegally grown on 224 thousand Ha, in 2015 only at 183 thousand Ha.
As noted, a significant reduction in the area of drug crops led to a decrease in potential opium production almost by twice - up to 3300 tons.
In a joint study of Afghanistan and the United Nations said that the main reason for the decline in production began adversed weather conditions.
It is worth noting that the study of the drug situation used a new methodology for assessing the cultivation of opium. In this regard, in the results of the study allowed errors, but the fact of reducing the total area of plantations seems certain.
However, opium production in Afghanistan remains a significant problem. In some provinces, located mainly in the north of the country, there has been growth in poppy cultivation. According to the UN, this alarming trend has spread to the provinces of Balkh, Faryab, Badghis, Sari Pul and Kunduz and Uruzgan, Gore and Kabul.
