Can pomegranates cut into the Taliban's opium trade in Afghanistan? (video)

The Intellectual Redneck ^ | February 23, 2009 | The Intellectual Redneck

[Askwhy5times]

Can pomegranates cut into the Talibans opium trade in Afghanistan? When I first heard this proposal, I thought it was a crazy idea. Now, I am not so sure. Pomegranates yield more then $2000 per acre than opium. The supporters of this proposal claim pomegranate farmers never return to growing opium. The downside is pomegranates are more difficult to transport in dangerous Afghanistan and the trees take 4~5 years to mature. The US Government is putting $12 million into publicizing the proposal. Video is here.

[mrmargaritaville]

hey I’m all for it if they’re going to be used to make pomegranate vodka.

[ICCtheWay]

This is also another cash crop which the Afghans already know how to grow ; a non narcotic opium poppy yielding an oilseed.

This variety (cultivar) of the standard opium poppy used to produce opium and downstream drugs actually produces no narcotic product - rather it produces an oilseed which has been proven to produce enough oil from which one can produce biodiesel fuel.

But logic will never prevail in Afghanistan whether it be pomegranate or oilseed. Why? - Because cult like Islam consumes them...

[Free Descendant]

It won’t work. The price of pomegranate would drop while the price of poppies would rise. Since poppy demand is inelastic, and since the farmers are way undervalued to begin with, wholesalers would be able to throw a lot more cash at the farmers.

The author suggests that pomegranates are more lucrative for the farmer per acre. What should be considered is the retail value per acre, because that value will go to the farmer should the market dictate that.