LASHKARGAH (SW): Farmers in Helmand province have blamed the Taliban militants for forcing them to cultivate poppy.
In conversation with Salam Watandar, farmers from Garmser, Nawa and Naad-e-Ali districts said that they have been compelled to cultivate poppy on a larger area this year. According to these farmers, they only chose to cultivate poppy on the directives of the Taliban, and have also paid 200 Pakistani Ruppees as tax per jerib to the militants.
Syed Ahmad Wror, director for counter narcotics measures in the province acknowledged that the poppy cultivation has swollen. He recalled that some 100 thousands hectors of land was under poppy cultivation in the year 2009. This area reduced to some 95 thousands hectors in the year 2010, 65 thousands hectors in between 2011 and 2013, and 87 thousands hectors between 2015 and 2016 but, now reports suggests more than 100 thousands hectors of land is cultivated upon with poppy in Helmand.
The director for counter narcotics measures noted that besides the pressure from the Taliban, the farmers have also been compelled by lack of an alternate income to cultivate poppy. He recalled that in the previous years, the farmers used to get $ 10 million worth of modified seeds, water pumps and fertilizers etc as means for alternate economy.
On his part, Hayatullah Hayat, the provincial governor, claims to have started campaign against poppy cultivation in areas under the government control. Hayat said efforts are also underway to spread this campaign to other areas as well.
ENDS
