WASHINGTON, Nov 29: The number of heroin poppies growing in Afghanistan nearly doubled over the past year, the White House announced on Friday.

“Poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is a major and growing problem,” drug “czar” John Walters said in a statement.

Some 61,000 hectares (acres) were under cultivation in 2003, compared with 30,750 hectares (acres) in 2002, the statement said.

Afghanistan grew enough poppies in 2003 to make 2,865 tons of opium. That is an increase of 1,587 tons over the 2002 level, the statement said.

“Drug cultivation and trafficking are undermining the rule of law and putting money in the pocket of terrorists,” Walters said.

“The drug trade is hindering the ability of the Afghan people to rebuild their country and rejoin the international community.”

A month ago, a joint survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Afghan government found opium poppy cultivation had risen a “moderate” eight percent nationwide and had decreased dramatically in the south, but was skyrocketing in the north.

The United Nations reported that opium-growing families were making an average 3,900 dollars a year against the gross domestic product per capita of 184 dollars, based on 2002 estimates.

However in the north it was only around 1,700 dollars while the south commanded an average 6,800 dollars.

Opium traffickers made 1.3 billion dollars in 2003. Their income combined with farmers was equal to more than 50 per cent of Afghanistan’s estimated gross domestic product.

—AFP