正文
VOA慢速英语:Afghan farmers have another big harvest
来自美国之音慢速英语,这里是农业报道。
Afghan farmers have another big harvest this year, but officials at the United Nations and around the world are not celebrating.
阿富汗农民今年再次大丰收,但联合国和世界各地的官员们都没有庆祝。
The crop is opium, farmers have been busy harvest their opium poppies. Farmer Faiz Mohammed in Helmand province makes no apologies.
这种作物是鸦片,农民们忙着收获罂粟。赫尔曼德省的农民Faiz Mohammed对此毫无歉意。
"We are the poorest people in this area. If we don't cultivate poppies we can't feed ourselves and our family. We have tried to cultivate corn and wheat, but that is too cheap, doesn't bring a good income. And poppy crops bring good money."
“我们是这地区最穷的人,如果我们不种罂粟,那就没办法养活自己和家人了。我们试过种植玉米和小麦,但那些作物太廉价了,没法带来好的收入。而罂粟可以赚大钱。”
The riches promised by opuim stands in contrast, to the rest of the country's struggling economy. Farmer Harie Abudola says profits are driving the opium production, not pressure from the Taliban.
与这里罂粟丰收带来的富足相比,该国其他地方经济每况日下。农民Harie Abudola表示是利润驱动了鸦片生产,而不是塔利班的压力。
"The Taliban have no influence here. The farmers themselves grow poppies because, compared to the price of wheat, there is a huge difference. For instance, we sell four kilograms of corn for 100 Afghanis [$1.89 USD] but poppies bring 2000-5000 Afghanis [$37.80-$94.57 USD]. This is for the benefit of the farmers, we see there is a huge difference in the price."
“塔利班在这里没有影响力,农民们自己种罂粟是因为,与小麦的价格相比,罂粟收入很高。比如,每4千克玉米卖价100阿富汗尼(1.89美元),但同样重量的罂粟卖价2000-5000阿富汗尼(37.80-94.57美元)。这对农民的收入有好处,我们可以看到在价格上有着巨大差异。”
A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime warns that Afghanistan could supply as much as 90% of the world's heroin, UN official Jean-Luc Lemahieu calls it a sign of failure.
联合国毒品与犯罪办公室的一份报告警告说,阿富汗人供应了全世界90%的海洛因。联合国官员Jean-Luc Lemahieu称这是一个失败的信号。
"We have seen enormous inflow in this country over the last decades. And with regards to the drug control situation, we still see increases of the opium cultivation, so we cannot say in any way, based on the facts, that we have succeeded. We have failed."
“过去几十年,我们看到该国收入颇丰。在毒品控制局势方面,我们看到鸦片种植的增加,所以基于事实,我们怎么也没法说我们成功了。我们就是失败了。”
And he warns that farmers are not the only ones becoming dependent on opium.
他警告说,农民并非越发依赖鸦片的唯一群体。
"It is one of the biggest diseases this country is facing at this moment - one million addicts. It is an enormous health problem. Who will pay for that?"
“这是我国目前面临的一大顽疾,100万瘾君子。这是一个巨大的健康问题,谁来为此买单?
That question is far from that thoughts of opium farmers, who say they have no other way to feed their families.
这些问题根本不在鸦片农民的思考之内,他们说没有养活家人的其他办法。
The report released last week says opium production is especially high in the most unstable areas of Afghanistan. These are areas where the surge increase in American troops, helped beat back Taliban influence.
上周发布的报告称,阿富汗最动荡地区的鸦片产量非常高。美军在这些地区不断增兵,帮助击退了塔利班的影响。
The report says insurgents use the insecurity in those areas, especially Helmand and Kandahar provinces. To win popular support, the insurgents also assisted opium farmers with their crops.
报告称叛军利用这些地区的动乱兴风作乱,尤其是赫尔曼德省和坎大哈省。为了赢得民众支持,叛乱分子还协助农民种植鸦片。
The UN says poor weather and crop disease lead to a reduction in the supply of opium last year. That reduction meant higher price. The report notes that the higher price of opium, makes it an even more attractive crop to grow now.
联合国称恶劣天气和病虫害导致了去年鸦片供应的减少,而这又意味着价格上涨。报告称鸦片价格越高,人们更愿意种植罂粟。
The UN says this is the third year in a row that opium poppy growing has increased in Afghanistan. This follows gains made by the government, in years of efforts to reduce the nation's share of the drug trade.
联合国称,阿富汗的罂粟种植量已连续三年有所增加。在此之前,阿富汗政府经过多年努力,降低了该国在全球毒品交易中的份额。