US-led effort drives opium prices up

United States-led efforts to eradicate opium cultivation in Afghanistan have nearly doubled raw opium prices and threatened to push Afghan farmers back to growing poppies, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said.

Falling prices last year due to a large harvest helped the international community discourage farmers from planting this year. But the expected market tightening has driven prices to US$180 ($247.59) per kg this month from US$100 last October, he said.