NCJ Number
207969
Date Published
November 2004
Length
124 pages
Annotation
This report presents the results of the 2004 opium cultivation survey in Afghanistan.
Abstract
During 2004, the opium poppy cultivation area increased 64 percent to a record level of 131,000 hectares (ha) in 2004, up from 80,000 ha in 2003. Opium poppy cultivation has now spread to all 32 provinces in the country, up from 28 provinces in 2003, however, most opium poppy cultivation remains concentrated within 3 provinces of the country. Potential opium production in Afghanistan during 2004 has been estimated at 4,200 metric tons, an increase of 17 percent compared to 2003. The discrepancy between the cultivation and production trends in 2004 is explained by the relatively low opium yield per hectare in 2004. Opium prices in 2004 fell 69 percent compared with prices in 2003, averaging about $92 per kilogram in 2004. The number of families involved in opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan increased 35 percent in 2004 to about 356,000 families or roughly 2.3 million persons. Moreover, whereas the estimated per capita gross income from opium was down 64 percent in 2004, the gross income was still 12 times higher for opium than for wheat cultivation. The value of exported opiates to neighboring countries in 2004 increased slightly to $2.8 billion even as the total farm-gate value of opium decreased 41 percent to roughly $600 million. The effects of eradication programs were not assessed for this report. The methodology involved in the creation of this report involved the analysis of satellite images, extensive field visits, and a survey of 2,469 villages. Tables, figures, annexes