NA Afghanistan's major Opium producer - UN

The Northern Alliance battling the Taliban has emerged as Afghanistan’s major opium producer because their rivals, who control most of the country, appear to be enforcing their ban on growing the poppy, US officials revealed today

Mohammad Amirkhizi, senior policy adviser at the Vienna-based UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, said the Northern Alliance harvested about 150 tons of the opium poppy this year.

Although relatively insignificant compared to 2000, when 3,300 tons were harvested, the 150 tons represents most of Afghanistan’s opium crop because the Taliban, who control 90% of the country, maintained their ban on areas they control, said Amirkhizi.

He said the 150 ton figure harvested in Northern Alliance areas has been relatively stable over the past few years.

Only about 50 tons were harvested this year in regions controlled by the Taliban, said Amirkhizi, basing his figures on ground surveys conducted by UN workers. Although UN staff left the area after the September 11 terrorist strikes in the United States, they were still there when the poppy was harvested several months ago, he said.