AFGHAN HEROIN POPPIES DOUBLE

WASHINGTON: The number of heroin poppies growing in Afghanistan nearly
doubled over the past year, the White House announced 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 tonnes of opium.
That is an increase of 1,587 tonnes 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 UN 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 UN reported that opium-growing families were making an average
3,900 dollars a year against the gross domestic product (GDP) per
capita of 184 dollars, based on 2002 estimates.