Bumper Opium Harvest Expected in Afghanistan

(NYTimes) This is an interesting article on the inability of US and Europe to stop Opium production this year in Afghanstian. Quote: “In the absence of a credit system, larger landholders customarily loan smaller farmers and laborers food, cooking oil or money for the winter, to be paid back after the harvest of opium gum. The landholders also offer fertilizer and seed in return for a portion of the crop.”