Poppy cultivation has tripled this year in comparison to previous years in Helmand. Local officials said that poppy cultivation has increased in the areas where Taleban are dominant and they force farmers to cultivate opium. Sayed Ahmad, provincial counter narcotic director, said that this figure will definitely increase up to 100,000 hectares of land. He added that if public awareness programs are launched and other alternatives are chosen, poppy cultivation would undoubtedly plunge. Meanwhile Hayatullah Hayat, Helmand governor, said that opium eradication programs will be implemented in the areas under government control and clean-up operation will be launched in the areas of Taleban dominance. Moreover, farmers in Helmand stress that they cultivate their farms opium as they get ample benefit from it. They said that if they cultivate wheat, corn, and other agricultural products, due to lack of appropriate markets, they cannot sell their products at reasonable prices. Helmand, located in southern part of the country, is one of the biggest producers of opium in the country.
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