Afghan Officials Vow to Cut Opium Despite Protests

Sat Mar 2,11:23 AM ET

By Andrew Marshall

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) -

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The U.N. Drug Control Program said last week Afghanistan's cultivation of opium poppies has soared since the final collapse of the Taliban in December, and this year's harvest could be 15 times higher than in 2001, with up to 1,900 to 2,700 tons of opium produced.

Pashtoon said a proposal that the poppy crop should be sprayed with chemicals to destroy it had been rejected, as it risked damaging other crops.

The local government says that while it is against paying farmers not to grow opium, it is working with the United Nations (news - web sites) on a strategy to cushion the blow for farmers faced with poverty if they cannot grow opium.

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