International Taliban Appears to Have Nearly Eradicated Opium Cultivation in Afghanistan

[Orgasmo]

Maybe DEA should hire them as consultants. They're far more successful with their war on drugs than Murica.

In April 2022, Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada decreed that cultivation of the poppy - from which opium, the key ingredient for the drug heroin can be extracted - was strictly prohibited. Anyone violating the ban would have their field destroyed and be penalised according to Sharia law.

A Taliban spokesman told the BBC they imposed the ban because of the harmful effects of opium - which is taken from the poppy seed capsules - and because it goes against their religious beliefs. Afghanistan used to produce more than 80% of the world's opium. Heroin made from Afghan opium makes up 95% of the market in Europe.

The BBC has now travelled in Afghanistan - and used satellite analysis - to examine the effects of the direct action on opium poppy cultivation. The Taliban leaders appear to have been more successful cracking down on cultivation than anyone ever has.

We found a huge fall in poppy growth in major opium-growing provinces, with one expert saying annual cultivation could be 80% down on last year. Less-profitable wheat crops have supplanted poppies in fields - and many farmers saying they are suffering financially.

Inside the Taliban's war on drugs - opium poppy crops slashed - BBC News



This is supported by satellite intelligence.

Unprecedented reduction of opium production (alcis.org)

 

[OneOfOne]

Sounds like they need a heavy dose of freedom to get things back on track

 

[Mr. Shickadance]

Probably helped fent explode

 

[syct23]

Good for them…?

 

[The Diplomat]

It's interesting from multiple avenues, but AFAIK poppy seed/opium is a major export of Aghanistan. To replace that with wheat, clearly a more saturated market, must mean that the Chinese are willing to subsidize the Taliban's agricultural exports in exchange for natural resources.

 

[MicroBrew]

Gona wait and see if this is legit.

 

[Dan O]

It's interesting from multiple avenues, but AFAIK poppy seed/opium is a major export of Aghanistan. To replace that with wheat, clearly a more saturated market, must mean that the Chinese are willing to subsidize the Taliban's agricultural exports in exchange for natural resources.

Is their relationship at that level already? That’s quite a lot of trust. I’m not saying you’re wrong, I’m just surprised.

 

[Yehudim]

Gona wait and see if this is legit.

Farmers aren’t stupid people. They have their stashes somewhere, and no doubt some Taliban officials are paid off. You can’t just declare victory because one season, like people did last time (and only in hindsight)

It’s going to be interesting to see Taliban governance over the years. We already have the example of the incorruptible religious scholars ruling Iran and how awful they are now, that being part of the ruling government doesn’t make you a brave guerilla fighter but someone trying to get ahead.

We’ve seen this movie before, but people have the attention spans of goldfish.

 

[Crawler89]

very interesting to see what comes of this.
There were all the rumors of the american troops defending the poppy fields and shit or the farmers and warlords
wonder if this is going to make the fent situation more severe

 

[emefer]

Well FML

 

[BAM]

based Taliban?

 

[Orgasmo]

It's interesting from multiple avenues, but AFAIK poppy seed/opium is a major export of Aghanistan. To replace that with wheat, clearly a more saturated market, must mean that the Chinese are willing to subsidize the Taliban's agricultural exports in exchange for natural resources.

Looks like they got a new sugar daddy.

China becomes world’s largest wheat importer in 2022-23 | World Grain (world-grain.com)
China Imports of Wheat - May 2023 Data - 1996-2022 Historical - June Forecast - Chart (tradingeconomics.com)

 

[Rod1]

Fent killed Opium, nothing new just basic economics.

 

[The Diplomat]

Looks like they got a new sugar daddy.

China becomes world’s largest wheat importer in 2022-23 | World Grain (world-grain.com)
China Imports of Wheat - May 2023 Data - 1996-2022 Historical - June Forecast - Chart (tradingeconomics.com)

Makes sense.

Is their relationship at that level already? That’s quite a lot of trust. I’m not saying you’re wrong, I’m just surprised.

I think their relationship was there before any of us heard about it. Expect to see more of this in the African continent soon, as in subsidiaries/cash for resources.

 

[MicroBrew]

Farmers aren’t stupid people. They have their stashes somewhere, and no doubt some Taliban officials are paid off. You can’t just declare victory because one season, like people did last time (and only in hindsight)

It’s going to be interesting to see Taliban governance over the years. We already have the example of the incorruptible religious scholars ruling Iran and how awful they are now, that being part of the ruling government doesn’t make you a brave guerilla fighter but someone trying to get ahead.

We’ve seen this movie before, but people have the attention spans of goldfish.

Before 9-11, a European reporter asked a leading Taliban official how they justify growing heroin when it was haram in Islam: the guy said since they are sending it to Europe - to the infidels - it was fine. The Taliban partly financed their wars with Heroin. They only make a very public move to rout out the growing when they are in power and when they need western support. Right now they really need the West to go easy on them and they have been asking the US to give them the billions of $ that the former Afghan gov. owned but is now under US control.

 

[Strychnine]

Farmers aren’t stupid people. They have their stashes somewhere, and no doubt some Taliban officials are paid off. You can’t just declare victory because one season, like people did last time (and only in hindsight)

It’s going to be interesting to see Taliban governance over the years. We already have the example of the incorruptible religious scholars ruling Iran and how awful they are now, that being part of the ruling government doesn’t make you a brave guerilla fighter but someone trying to get ahead.

We’ve seen this movie before, but people have the attention spans of goldfish.

Beat me to it. There are tons of opium warehoused, just waiting for the price to go up. You're ON opium if you think they wouldn't.

 

[Snubnoze707]

Opium production nearly doubled under US control of Afghanistan.

We made sure production was nice and safe...

 

[Edmond_Dantes]

awesome if true.

 

[Blayt7hh]

Maybe DEA should hire them as consultants. They're far more successful with their war on drugs than Murica.

it’s not really a secret, just take away all basic human rights and murder anyone you suspect of breaking your laws.

I’m sure that’s the kind of government you want to live under isn’t it?

 

[ShadowRun]

China came in and collected that with USA military equipment