In move that could cut massive drugtrade, UN revive Afghan sugar industry

[seemslikeadream]

17 December 2004 – In a move that could curb the massive growth in opium production in Afghanistan, origin of much of the world’s heroin, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today announced plans to help the war-torn country to resume sugar production.

Through a project financed by Germany, FAO will rehabilitate Afghanistan’s only sugar factory, which ceased operations in the late 1970s, forcing the country to rely entirely on importing 300,000 tons every year.

"The revival of the sugar industry could offer an alternative to poppy production and could help to boost incomes of family farmers by introducing a profitable cash crop," Serge Verniau, FAO Representative in Kabul, the Afghan capital, said.

In what it called “a clear and present danger,” the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) last month released a report showing that with 131,000 hectares dedicated to opium farming this year, Afghanistan had established a double record - the highest drug cultivation in the country's history, and the largest in the world.

more
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=12846&Cr=Afghan&Cr1=

[tridim]

1. Sugar is about 10 cents a pound

How much is a pound of opium worth?

[Minstrel Boy]

5. In 2000, opium could earn Afghan farmers $14 a pound.

Afghan farmers can earn about $14 per pound of opium, considerably more than they do from other crops, United Nations officials say
http://www.reconsider.org/tidbits/2000-09-17%20UN%20Abandons%20_Drug-free%20planet_%

And what a mark-up:

Oil may have reached $50 a barrel, but heroin is worth 12 times its weight in gold, and is by far the most profitable commodity on the markets. A kilogram of heroin, worth $1,000 in Thailand, has a street value of nearly $1 million. That's some mark-up. A kilogram of cocaine can cost as little as $65 to produce, with a street value of approximately $500,000.
http://rigorousintuition.blogspot.com/2004/09/oil-is-not-only-drug.html

[Carl Brennan]

9. So we need to convert them to Christianity

so they fear God and the hereafter more than they yearn for illegal profits in the here and now. }(

[Tight_rope]

12. Damn..I didn't read this before my post #11...but I was right on the money

[w4rma]

16. Wow, thats quite a mark up. No wonder so many folks deal in drugs.

A gamble that could make you extremely wealthy (no wonder so many of the ultra-wealthy are evil) or in prison or dead.

[Just Me]

2. I value the institution of the UN. I respect and admire all the "good",..

,...things the UN has done for this broken world.

As an American, I am embarassed and humiliated by the right-wing attack machine that has sunk its claws into our country and culture.

I hope the UN never stands down to the fascist bullies. The UN has earned its place in the world theatre and we need the UN.

Moreover, I hope the UN never loses confidence in the Americans. We will overcome and defeat the fascist evolution.

[Carl Brennan]

3. Wow! Let's see if Bushieboy backs this

Should be interesting to see how he deals with it.

[Bono71]

4. More interesting will Louisiana and other sugar state senators

back it...I could see Mary Landrieu (sp?) having a big problem with this.

[seriousstan]

8. Their sugar wouldn't be for export.

The story sound like they import enough now that they could consume any homegrown production.

[Bono71]

10. Ah, understand.

[parkenyc]

13. Is this move intended to reduce the price of sugar?

If so, will sugar be used instead of the cheaper corn syrup? Archer Daniels Midland would object to that.

[leftofcool]

6. Watch for the SUGAR ALERT!

Rove ought to come up with something interesting on this.

Left of cool

[Dora]

7. I remember back in 2000-2001

When they tried sending American cattle to Afghan farmers as a substitute for the poppy crop - I'm not sure if it was beef or dairy, but it doesn't matter.

It didn't work.

[Tight_rope]

11. Opium-Sugar...which makes you more money.....hahaha what fools

In all honesty, if I were an Afghanistan farmer I would not change my crop growing to an commodity that would bring me less of an income. Especially, knowing that I'm already poor. Shit growing sugar would take me from poor to poo. Leave the "R" for the "RICH".

[Qutzupalotl]

14. Slap a "Powdered Sugar" label on it,

and suddenly it's not heroin anymore, honest.

[hatrack]

15. Considering that the Helmand River has run dry for 3 years . . .

where do they intend to get the water? Considering that Afghanistan's in its seventh year of drought, I thought it a question worth asking.

[bemildred]

17. I was wondering about that too.

They don't usually grow a lot of cane in deserts.