The Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MoCN) admitted that poppy cultivation, despite eradication efforts, has doubled in scope in 2013. Officials blamed militant networks, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and poverty as the main factors behind the rise.
The eastern province of Nangarhar is counted among the nine provinces where poppy is cultivated on a large scale. Poppy was cultivated over 16,000 hectares of land in the province this year, while last year this figure was only around 3,000 hectares.
The announcement comes just over a month since Afghanistan was found to have the largest opium output in the world, with a record size crop this year.
"There are two important factors behind the increase: first, the existence of militants in the area, and secondly, the nonexistence of government control and overwhelming poverty," Deputy Minister of Counter Narcotics Haroon Rashid Sherzad said.
Nangarhar Deputy Governor said that the officials were working on a number of comprehensive plans to address the problem. However, MoCN indicated it was likely poppy cultivation may further increase in Nangarhar next year.
Reportedly, most poppy farming in the province occurs in the Khogyani, Sherzad, Hesarak, Achin, Chaparhar and Pachiragam districts.
"We have undertaken several programs to decrease poppy cultivation, and we discussed the matters with the elders in the areas where poppy is cultivated to prevent locals from poppy growing," Nangarhar Deputy Governor Mohammad Hanif Garziwal said.
A drug addiction treatment center was opened in Nangarhar, and it's the second largest center in the country. More than 30 million dollars has been allocated for its construction, which is expected to be completed within 14 months.
"All provinces in east zone could use this center; 150 addicts are provided treatment at one time and are discharged from the center after completing eight rounds," Sherzada said.