A new United Nations report says that Afghan opium cultivation has hit a record high as international forces prepare to leave the country. Full Story: Cultivation of poppy—the base crop for opium and heroin—in Afghanistan is higher than ever. That's according to a new report by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. Here's the office's head, Jean-Luc Lemahieu, at a press conference in Kabul. [Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Head of UNODC in Afghanistan]: "The 2013 year, where we have witnessed an absolute record in opium cultivation in Afghanistan 209,000 hectares (516,000 acres) as the year of the paradox." The report blames factors such as high opium prices and a lack of Afghan political will to tackle the problem. Another big factor, experts say, is greater insecurity as foreign troops pull back ahead of next year's withdrawal. Afghanistan is the world's top poppy cultivator, with areas of production this year 36 percent higher than in 2012. Lemaheiu says the world has a choice to make. [Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Head of UNODC in Afghanistan]: "We need to make sure that the international and regional communities are helping Afghanistan to make a big choice today, is this country, to go in a direction of an illicit economy are is this country to be underpinned by a licit (legitimate) economy as we all wish it would be." Profits for the crop are expected to approach $1 billion dollars this year. Some fear that money will be funneled to the Taliban insurgency and warlords ahead of next year's presidential elections. For more news and videos visit ☛ http://ntd.tv Follow us on Twitter ☛ http://twitter.com/NTDTelevision Add us on Facebook ☛ http://on.fb.me/s5KV2C

• published: 16 Nov 2013
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