Written question asked by Paul Flynn (Labour) on Tuesday, 15 October 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 21 October 2002. It was answered by Denis MacShane (Labour) on Monday, 21 October 2002 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the most recent assessment is of the total area of land in Afghanistan under cultivation for poppies in each of the past 12 years; and what changes have occurred in the past year for which figures are available. - Inc figures.

Answer: Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the most recent assessment is of the total area of land in Afghanistan under cultivation for poppies in each of the past 12 years; and what changes have occurred in the past year for which figures are available. [75020] Mr. MacShane: The United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention has reported Afghanistan's opium poppy cultivation as follows: 1990-41,300; 1991-50,800; 1992-49,300; 1993-58,300; 1994-71,470; 1995-53,759; 1996-56,824; 1997-58,416; 1998-63,674; 1999-90,583; 2000-82,171; 2001-7,606 (areas in hectares). The results of the 2002 survey have not yet been published. Poppy cultivation remains concentrated in the provinces of Helmand, Nangarhar, Badakhshan, Oruzgan and Kandahar.

Secondary information