Afghanistan swaps Heroin for Wheat.

[SirNitram]

Link

Good news at last from the front line in the war on terror, where I am spending a few days as the guest of British forces responsible for security in Helmand province.

I've just come from a meeting with the newly appointed Afghan governor Gulab Mangal where it emerged that for the first time since British forces deployed to the region two years ago local farmers are not concentrating all their energies on producing heroin.

Poppy eradication was flagged up as one of the main British priorities when former defence secretary John Reid first announced Britain's deployment two years ago.

But this part of the mission has not exactly been a glorious success. Last year poppy production actually increased.

But now it seems the message is finally getting through. In parts of Helmand Afghan farmers are this year sowing wheat instead of poppy - not because they have suddenly been converted to the argument that producing heroin is not in the national interest.

Market forces have been the deciding factor - with wheat prices doubling in the past year, and the street price of heroin falling, it is now more cost effective to grow wheat.

At last there are signs of progress being made amidst Afghanistan’s battle-scarred landscape.

I'm not sure this is a good thing, given it's caused by a wheat shortage, but hey, it keeps them off the street, and I've never known anyone to get high off their grains.

[rhoenix]

I'm not sure this is a good thing, given it's caused by a wheat shortage, but hey, it keeps them off the street, and I've never known anyone to get high off their grains.

Not high - just drunk.

This is still good news, however.

[Cynical Cat]

Nah. If you want to get high off the wheat you have to let it get ergot.

[LadyTevar]

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Supply And Demand Economics in action.

[Derek Thunder]

Ah, unintended consequences. Our subsidies for farms and ethanol may be doing more to end the Afghani poppy mill than any direct diplomatic or military actions.