WASHINGTON, Sept 18: India and Pakistan are among the 20 major drug producing countries listed in a US report, which also lists Afghanistan and Columbia as the world’s top producers of narcotics.

Quoting UN statistics the report points out that poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has increased by 17 per cent this year and “opium accounts for one-thirds of the country’s economy.” The increase is almost exclusive, however, to some of the southern provinces that border Pakistan.

The report, compiled by the State Department and released by the White House, however, places the three South Asian nations — Afghanistan, Pakistan and India — among the countries that are making efforts to deal with the problem.

While the report lists Afghanistan as the largest producer of illicit opium in the world, Columbia is listed as the largest producer of cocaine.

Only Myanmar and Venezuela are listed as the nations that have “failed demonstrably” to make substantial efforts to adhere to international counter-narcotics agreements or to cooperate with Washington.

The drug problem in Afghanistan “contributes, of course, to the widespread public corruption, to the damages of economic growth — illicit economic growth, and it definitely strengthens the insurgency,” said Christy McCampbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Narcotics and Law Enforcement.

While releasing the report, Ms McCampbell acknowledged that Afghanistan continues to face “tremendous challenges” despite the support it has received from the US and other international donors since Sept 11, 2001.

“Not addressing these challenges now could undermine security, compromise democratic legitimacy, and imperil international support for vital assistance to that country,” she added. “President Bush looks to the government of Afghanistan to take further steps to combat poppy cultivation and corruption.”

The report notes that despite the problems it is facing in the south, the Afghan government has succeeded in eradicating poppy cultivation in several northern provinces. Thirteen northern provinces are now poppy-free.

That’s seven more than last year. In the north, sufficient security has allowed for alternative development programmes to take effect and it has helped the farmers to improve their economic livelihood.

Pointing out the reason for India’s inclusion in the list, Ms McCampbell said India did have a problem of diversion of chemicals and opium products. As much as 30 per cent of the licit opium India grows is diverted to the illicit market, says the report.

India is included the “Majors List” of illegal drug transit and drug producing countries, a categorisation of nations that are overwhelmed by drug related violence, crime and corruption.

The countries listed for this year’s Majors list are the same as they have been for the last two years and include Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.

“Our major focus on drug eradication, of course, is in Afghanistan and partially Pakistan, but mostly Afghanistan is where our funds are going and where our efforts are, because that is the country that grows the poppy for opium,” Ms McCampbell said.