Police have blamed a shortage of manpower, a flawed crop substitution program and poor road links for their failure to meet an opium eradication target in southern Shan State.
Only about 13 percent of the target had been met, Sub-Police Major AungKyaingSoe from the southern Shan State anti-drug and drug eradication police detachment 25 told Mizzima on November 18.
The detachment planned to eradicate 30,000 acres of opium crops in the month to November 20 but had destroyed only about 4,600 acres and the deadline had been extended to January, Sub-Police Major Aung Soe Kyaing said.
He said a shortage of personnel meant the detachment was able to destroy only 3,322 acres in Pinlaung township, 718 acres in Hopon township and 590 acres in Phekon township.
Police have blamed a shortage of manpower, a flawed crop substitution program and poor road links for their failure to meet an opium eradication target in southern Shan State.
Only about 13 percent of the target had been met, Sub-Police Major AungKyaingSoe from the southern Shan State anti-drug and drug eradication police detachment 25 told Mizzima on November 18.
The detachment planned to eradicate 30,000 acres of opium crops in the month to November 20 but had destroyed only about 4,600 acres and the deadline had been extended to January, Sub-Police Major Aung Soe Kyaing said.
He said a shortage of personnel meant the detachment was able to destroy only 3,322 acres in Pinlaung township, 718 acres in Hopon township and 590 acres in Phekon township.
