Pomegranates could kill off Afghanistan’s opium trade

[babylonsister]

Pomegranates could kill off Afghanistan’s opium trade
Martin Shipton, South Wales Echo


POMEGRANATES are the key to eliminating heroin, a pioneering charity founder has claimed.

James Brett is spearheading a campaign to persuade farmers in Afghanistan to switch from growing poppies to growing the super-fruit.

He was in Cardiff yesterday as a guest speaker at the annual conference at City Hall of Cymorth Cymru, the organisation that represents people in supported housing.

“I recognised that Afghanistan not only grew the best pomegranates in the world,” said James, who founded the charity Pom 354.

“They also produced more than 90% of the world’s heroin.

“From research I undertook I came to realise that sales of pomegranates on the global market could outstrip the value to Afghanistan of the opium industry.

“With Pom 354 we are putting in place something that is completely viable for the farmers, and that’s vital to the sustainability of the project in Afghanistan.”

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http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/02/12/pomegranates-could-kill-off-afghanistan-s-opium-trade-91466-22910009/