LUCKNOW, OCT 29: Uttar Pradesh has, of late, become a haven for smugglers, thanks to the rather porous border with Nepal and its record opium production. For the first time in 20 years, the state has beaten Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in opium production, according to the state Narcotics Commissioner's office record.Uttar Pradesh harvested nearly 2.5 lakh kg of opium from 5,539 hectares of land spread over 1,625 villages till April. The yield was about 44 kg per hectare, against the national average of about 58 kg.But officials feel the actual area under cultivation as well as the total production was much more than what has shown up on paper. The recorded output is sold to the government and the rest to smugglers who strike deals with farmers even before the crop is sown. Farmers, in connivance with Narcotics Department officials, get away with not stating the actual figures.
