Poppy cultivation in Burma up again: US state Department

http://www.mizzima.com/news/world/1786-poppy-cultivation-in-burma-up-again-us-state-department.html

by Solomon
Monday, 02 March 2009 20:48

New Delhi (Mizzima) - A new report by the U S state department said opium production, cultivation of poppy and the number of opium farmers have once again soared in Burma since 2007, despite a decreasing trend in earlier years.

The ‘2009 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report’ said Burma, which had slowly brought down poppy cultivation since 1996, is once again registering a rise since 2007 with several acres of farms being cultivated in Eastern, Northern and Southern Shan State and Kachin State in northern Burma.




The report said, both the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and U.S. surveys of opium poppy cultivation indicates a significant increase in cultivation and potential production in 2007 and export of synthetic drugs has continued to be on the rise.

“Production and export of synthetic drugs [amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), crystal methamphetamine and Ketamine (Ice)] from Burma continues unabated,” the report added.

In 2007 the overall opium poppy cultivation increased to an estimated 29 per cent and potential production of dry opium increased to 46 per cent. And in villages opium prices increased from $153 per kg in 2004 to $ 265 per kg in 2008 the report said.

While the total value of opium production was estimated at approximately US $ 72 million in 2006, in 2007 it was estimated at US $120 million, the report said. It also said the total poppy cultivation in 2006 was 21,500 hectares but in 2007 it rose to 27,700 hectares.

Khuensai Jaiyen, editor of Thailand-based Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) who has been monitoring drug production in Shan state, said economic difficulties have forced more local people to be involved in poppy cultivation and working on paddy fields could not solve their daily needs.

“They need to pay taxes to the Burmese Army battalions, which have been increased up to 30 to 160 within these years and they also need to pay several rebel groups,” said Khuensai said.

“A local told me that earlier he could easily manage his family by cultivating paddy for a year, but these days it does not even support the family for four months, so he said he has to cultivate poppy,” Khuensai added.

He, however, said the cultivation of poppy in Shan State in Eastern Burma has shifted from the North to the South of the State, since 2005.

He added that the temporary decline in poppy cultivation is due to bad weather conditions such as heavy rainfall and extreme cold, as well as the government’s efforts in burning down the fields.

“The cultivation has increased again in 2008-2009 but the production is still low because of bad weather conditions,” Jaiyen said.

Despite the decline in poppy cultivation, production of drugs such as Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), crystal methamphetamine and Ketamine (Ice)] are increasing. Several Chinese drug-lords, who are based along the Sino-Burma border, have teamed up with leaders of ethnic armed rebel group – United Wa State Army – in the production.

But an official of the UWSA, who spoke to Mizzima on condition of anonymity, denied their involvement in the production of synthetic drugs including amphetamine-type Stimulants (ATS) and methamphetamine but admitted that there might be people from China, Thailand and even India, who are involved in the trade.

“I don’t know that kind of businesses is run by us, but it might be possible that traders and peddlers from Thailand, China and India are producing drugs here [in our control area], China and India,” he said.

Burma is still the second largest producer of drugs in the world following Afghanistan. Though the military junta claims that it is implementing a drug eradication programme since 1999, so far it has largely failed as production and cultivation once again rose in 2007.

Khuensai said, he has evidence of the Burmese Army, especially in the higher echelons, has links to the production and cultivation of poppy.