UN sees drop in Afghan opium growth

[Turborama]

Source: Al Jazeera English

Opium farming in Afghanistan has declined by 22 per cent this year as prices for the drug tumbled, causing farmers to switch to other crops, the UN has said.

About 800,000 fewer Afghans are involved in the illegal drugs trade compared to last year, according to an annual report from the world body, released on Wednesday.

The West, which has made wiping out the crop part of its eight-year battle against the Taliban in the country, is likely to welcome the findings.

But the decline, the second in the last two years, seems to be a result of simple economics, rather than law enforcement efforts. Only four per cent of the crop was eradicated and two per cent of the harvested product was seized.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/09/20099234359216788.html

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There's some eye opening figures in the rest of that story...

[DCKit]

1. What's a 1,500% increase minus 22%? Sorry, I'm kind of bad at math.

But I'm sure this is great news - for the BFEE and Cocaine Import Agency. Gotta tighten that supply sometimes to drive prices up.

[pleah]

2. Would that 800,000 fewer Afghans be the number killed in this

fake war on terror? Just curious.

[FarCenter]

3. Market saturation leads to declining prices

[PeaceDreamer]

4. What ev

Obama, get our troops out of there!