Insurgentjg

In the war trodden zones opium is the only choice farmers has to turn to earn their living. Cultivation of opium poppy is the only choice Iraqi farmers are left with as they can no longer earn a living by growing traditional crops.  In Diyala province of Iraq, Afghani poppy farmers have been helping farmers to plant and grow poppy. North east of Iraq has been famous for its fertile land and orchards of  pomegranates. According to a local source in the town of Buhriz, poppy is been grown between the orange trees. So that the plantation is not visible to the authorities.  Iraqi news agency al-Malaf reported that opium is been heavily harvested in the areas around towns of Khalis, Sa’adiya, Dain’ya and south of Baladruz. Opium growth is a rather new phenomenon; farming is being funded by the group of drug smugglers who were supplying opium to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf from Afghanistan. Opium is being heavily grown in the Dyala, North east of Iraq.  Part of the country where al-Qaeda is still holding its position strongly resisting the Iraqi government and US army. This is the region which is also deeply divided between Sunni, Shia and Kurd. All the war and unrest in the country does not allow authorities to focus their attention towards drug dealing and growing. According to a local agricultural engineer Al-Azawi; local farmers do not have any support from the government which makes it even harder for them to compete with the cheap imported fruits and vegetables and in such a scenario growing opium seems to be a viable solution.It also reported by the local agencies that many of the opium farms are being cultivated under the supervision of Al Qa’ida, who confiscated thier land from the rightful owners. Opium farms are heavily guarded so no one can get inside, most farms are located in the Diyala which is still smaller than that in southern Iraqi states of Amara and Majar al- Kabir. Opium form Diyala is transported to Ramadi in Western Iraq. Cont..