Afghanistan Farm Production – Thoughts From The Middle of Nowhere

<a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AFGHAN_DRUGS?SITE=MTBIL&SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT" >Afghanistan opium cultivation skyrockets</a> n n<blockquote>Afghanistan's world-leading opium cultivation rose a "staggering" 59 percent this year, the U.N. anti-drugs chief announced Saturday in urging the government to crack down on big traffickers and remove corrupt officials and police. n nThe record crop yielded 6,100 tons of opium, or enough to make 610 tons of heroin – outstripping the demand of the world's heroin users by a third, according to U.N. figures.</blockquote> n nYou can't blame farmers for growing what's in demand but it sure is sad to see. Now they are doing what all farmers do and over produce. n n<blockquote>Last year, about 450 tons of heroin was consumed worldwide, 90 percent of it from Afghanistan, according to the U.N.</blockquote> n nWorldwide production of heroin was 450 tons last year and this year just Afghanistan produced enough poppies to make over 600 tons of the stuff. You can't blame the farmers for wanting to feed their families but it is a really bad thing to see this. We freed Afghanistan from the Taliban and freedom leads to choices. This is a choice. Now we need to figure out how to provide the farmers with a living wage so they don't have to grow poppies to make a living. n nWe have a hard enough time doing that in this country, how are we supposed to do it in Afghanistan? I wish I had the answers. With this kind of overproduction of heroin that means that more people may start using it as prices drop. It's a burden we all have to deal with and it's sad. Any answers out there? n nWell, farmers never have made money. I don’t believe we can do much about it. But of course we will have to seem to be doing something; do the best we can and without much hope. The life of the farmer has its compensations but it has always been one of hardship. Calvin Coolidge