Farmers in Madhya Pradesh are fighting an altogether different kind of bird attack — parrots flying high with opium.
Every year, parrots fly away with a large quantity of opium pods in their beaks. After being robbed of their produce for years, the farmers have now found a novel way to tackle the menace.
Opium poppy is cultivated in Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam districts of Madhya Pradesh. The Narcotics Control Bureau gives licenses for the cultivation and is responsible for monitoring of this crop.
Opium poppy is cultivated between January and March. Apart from opium, poppy seeds are also found in it. When the plants are small, they are also sold in vegetable markets. The small poppy seeds are consumed as part of food.
The central government buys opium poppy from farmers.
The Taliban generated upwards of $400 million selling the narcotic between 2018 and 2019. But in what seems to be a shift in policies, the Taliban have now banned opium cultivation in Afghanistan.
If you’re curious to delve deeper into the topic, read more about it here.