Freak weather destroys Afghan poppies (Climate Change Strikes Again!)

solar cycle24 ^ | 4/27/2008 | Jerome Starkey

[milwguy]

Faltering British efforts to tackle Afghanistan's poppy crop have found an unlikely ally – in the weather.

is expected to reduce parts of the country's opium harvest drastically. Scientists believe freezing winter temperatures followed by late rains and a possible drought may cut this year's yields, with some farmers losing half of their crop.

The fierce winter cold – which claimed hundreds of lives across Afghanistan – is thought to have stopped millions of poppy seeds from germinating. Late rains have then stunted many of the plants that survived.

[milwguy]

Found this on solarcycle23 but can't use independant link....

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/freak-weather-destroys-afghan-poppies-814072.html

LOL...The author has no bias whatsoever. He blames the 'fierce winter cold' on 'Freak weather linked to global warming'. Well if it is Global Warming, then we can say it is helping solve the worldwide drug problem, so 'Global warming' must be a good thing?

[milwguy]

One expert said: “It was too cold in some areas for the seeds to come alive. Between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of the seeds may not have germinated.”

[SandRat]

JUNKIES hardest hit.... it’s all BOOO-shes fault! < / sarc

[steelyourfaith]

Found this on solarcycle23 but can't use independant link....

Why not?

He blames the 'fierce winter cold' on 'Freak weather linked to global warming'.

The operative trem is becoming "climate change" as the globe fails to comply with the garbage-in/garbage-out computer models.

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[NordP]

This is God.

STOP GROWING DRUGS AND START GROWING FOOD.

Thank you.

[Dysart]

I thought the title read something else...

[USMA '71]

Fierce winter cold, late spring rains and a little summer Agent Orange ought to just about take care of the poppy problem.

[TribalPrincess2U]

The weather just doing the job the GOVERNMENTS fail to do.

[Unknowing]

Al Gore you magnificent bastard!

No, come on: DARPA is getting good. Very good.

[ViLaLuz]

“This is God.
STOP GROWING DRUGS AND START GROWING FOOD.
Thank you.”

BRAVO on your excellent post!

[pointsal]

The frost in late April nailed the 2008 wine grape crop in several of the prime growing areas.... more to follow.

Buy wine futures....

[Myrddin]

Pocatello, ID has rain/snow in the forecast for Wed, April 30th. It was 75 F this afternoon. Spring is late and fickle as usual.

[dayglored]

> This is God. STOP GROWING DRUGS AND START GROWING FOOD. Thank you.

VERY GOOD!

Now, we should also add:

TO ALL YOU IDIOTS WHO LIVE IN DESERTS WITHOUT FOOD AND WATER...

MOVE TO WHERE THE FOOD AND WATER ARE!!!

Thank you.

There, now everybody will be happy...

[NordP]

Yeah, that reminds me of the Sam K. comedy bit where he said about those that live in the desert of the Middle East.

What's this (picks up a handful of sand) ??? IT'S SAND. What's it gonna be 30 years from now??? IT'S GONNA BE SAND!!! You really want to help these people??? RENT U-HAULS and get them the he11 out of there!!! IT'S A DESERT.

The first time I heard him do that bit..I laughed my butt off!

[GATOR NAVY]

Looks like it’s a good year too quit doing smack.

[reformedliberal]

How do opium poppies differ from my common red poppies? They are perennials. They have been planted for 18 years. We regularly get temps below -30 in the winter and up until the last 2 years, were in a mild drought for several years.My land is in a low valley and faces North. They grow, spread and bloom every year. After all this time of watching them grow, I am fairly certain they spread both from new seed and from roots.

I read last week that Afghan farmers were planting wheat instead of poppies simply because of the world price for wheat.

I do not trust the Independent.

[SuziQ]

Ha, so Global Cooling is good for something!