Mark Malloch Brown's Response to the UNODC's 2008 Afghan Drugs Survey:

“The UK government welcomes the publication of the UNODC’s 2008 Afghanistan Opium Survey, and the news that opium production has decreased. The Afghan Government and the UNODC estimate that 157,000 hectares were cultivated in 2008 – a 19% reduction on last years figure.

“This shows that the Afghan Government’s Drug Control Strategy is starting to pay dividends.  As security and governance improve across the country, more areas are becoming poppy free.  The number of provinces free from poppy has increased from just 3 in 2004, to 13 in 2007, to 18 in 2008.  This represents over half the provinces in the country.  These improvements are helping farmers get licit goods to markets.  With stronger governance, the state can enforce the law. 

“However, there is no room for complacency.  Afghanistan is still the world’s biggest supplier of heroin.  High cultivation levels are concentrated in the unstable South, where we are working with the Government of Afghanistan, local Governors, and international partners to build security and governance.  This year, over 95% of poppy cultivation occurred in just five insecure provinces in the South.  In Helmand, 103,000 hectares were cultivated, which is roughly the same as last year.  However, the Governor of Helmand’s new counter narcotics strategy demonstrates strong engagement at the political level, and this is a positive step".