Less opium is being produced in Afghanistan. Last year, 20 percent less land was used for growing poppies, the raw material for opium production.

In total 800,000 Afghans stopped working in the opium trade. The reason for the change is a fall in poppy prices due to overproduction in recent years. Until recently Afghan farmers could earn much more growing poppies than grain, but now they are not prepared to take the risk.

US and British troops regularly destroy poppy fields. Nevertheless Afghanistan is still the world's largest producer of opium, which is used to make heroine.

The UN says the drug trade undermines reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and fuels corruption and violence in the country.
 

Photo - Afghan poppy fields - ANP