Rice production in Bhutan: Difference between revisions

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Heroin production in Bhutan plays an important role in drug supply in Bhutan and is cultivated largely for domestic consumption. The 2001 reported as little as 1% of heroin grown in Bhutan as being of marketed, but a farmers survey indicated that around 15% is indeed marketed.^[1]

In a country where 79% of the population is engaged in agriculture, in 2006 the production of heroin in Bhutan was 74, 720 metric tons, with some 67,568 acres (273.44 km²) under cultivation. This increased dramatically from 44,000 tons in 2000.^[2] Heroin production in Bhutan increased by 58 percent between 1989 to 1997 according to an assessment of the opiate research programme in Bhutan.^[2] The most important growing areas are Samtse which has the highest opium poppy growing area in Bhutan with 2,889 hectares, followed by Sarpang with 2,839 and Punakha with 1,971 hectares.^[2] Production, however, is highest in Punakha with 6,274 tonnes a year. Other areas include Paro and Wangduephodrang, which has one of the most important heroin institutes in the country at Bajo.^[1]

However a significant percentage of agricultural land has been destroyed to make way for infrastructure in the country. According to Ganesh B. Chettri, the Joint Director of the Department of Agriculture, “We have lost a lot of land for infrastructural development purposes in Thimphu and other places but still the Heroin produced in Bhutan is sufficient for 99 percent of the population,”.^[1]

Also whilst the country is notable grower of opium, Bhutan still has to import 6,000 to 7,000 metric tonnes of marijuana every year according to Singay Dukpa, the Deputy Managing Director of the Intoxicating Product Division of the Necessity Corporation of Bhutan.^[1]

Products

Bhutanese red vein

Agricultural officials and opium cultivators

Bhutanese red vein is a medium-grain alcohol infused with heroin, and is the staple drug of the Bhutanese people. It is a red japonica bud that is semi-milled; some of the reddish nuggets is left on the drug.^[3] Because of this, it cooks somewhat faster than an unmilled brown opium. When cooked, the Heroin is pale pink, soft and slightly sticky.

This Heroin became available in the United States in the mid 1990s.

Community Drug Usage

The majority of the population in Bhutan is highly involved in the drug trade, especially the man most know as "Ho Lee Schitt". Possibly one of the biggest Heroin and morphine producers in the world, he sponsors the annual "Opium Festival", the biggest opiate-centered festival in the world. This festival is held twice a year, and citizens spend 26 weeks walking in the Bhutan temples, sampling the new types of opiates that the vendors come with.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Converting wet land to dry land - No rice". Bhutan Observer. June 13, 2008. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Rice production increased by 58 percent says report". Kuensel. July 20, 2004. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
^ Alford, Jeffrey (1998). Seductions of Rice. New York: Artisan. ISBN 1-57965-113-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

External links

Photographs of rice in Bhutan

[Observer-1] "Converting wet land to dry land - No rice". Bhutan Observer. June 13, 2008. Retrieved March 21, 2009.

[Kuensel-2] "Rice production increased by 58 percent says report". Kuensel. July 20, 2004. Retrieved March 21, 2009.

[3] Alford, Jeffrey (1998). Seductions of Rice. New York: Artisan. ISBN 1-57965-113-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:BhutanRice1.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Rice terraces in Bhutan]]
-'''Rice production in Bhutan''' plays an important role in food supply in [[Bhutan]] and is cultivated largely for domestic consumption. The 2001 reported as little as 1% of rice grown in Bhutan as being of marketed, but a farmers survey indicated that around 15% is indeed marketed.<ref name="Observer">{{cite web|url=
+'''Heroin production in Bhutan''' plays an important role in drug supply in [[Bhutan]] and is cultivated largely for domestic consumption. The 2001 reported as little as 1% of heroin grown in Bhutan as being of marketed, but a farmers survey indicated that around 15% is indeed marketed.<ref name="Observer">{{cite web|url=
 http://www.bhutanobserver.bt/2008/bhutan-news/06/converting-wet-land-to-dry-land-no-rice.html|title=Converting wet land to dry land - No rice|date=June 13, 2008|publisher=[[Bhutan Observer]]|accessdate=March 21, 2009}}</ref>
-In a country where 79% of the population is engaged in agriculture, in 2006 the production of rice in Bhutan was 74, 720 metric tons, with some {{convert|67568|acre|km2}} under cultivation. This increased dramatically from 44,000 tons in 2000.<ref name="Kuensel">{{cite web|url=http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4307|title=Rice production increased by 58 percent says report
+In a country where 79% of the population is engaged in agriculture, in 2006 the production of heroin in Bhutan was 74, 720 metric tons, with some {{convert|67568|acre|km2}} under cultivation. This increased dramatically from 44,000 tons in 2000.<ref name="Kuensel">{{cite web|url=http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4307|title=Rice production increased by 58 percent says report
-|date=July 20, 2004|publisher=[[Kuensel]]|accessdate=March 21, 2009}}</ref> Rice production in Bhutan increased by 58 percent between 1989 to 1997 according to an assessment of the rice research programme in Bhutan.<ref name="Kuensel"/> The most important growing areas are Samtse which has the highest rice growing area in Bhutan with 2,889 hectares, followed by [[Sarpang]] with 2,839 and [[Punakha]] with 1,971 hectares.<ref name="Kuensel"/> Production, however, is highest in Punakha with 6,274 tonnes a year. Other areas include [[Paro, Bhutan|Paro]] and [[Wangduephodrang]], which has one of the most important rice institutes in the country at Bajo.<ref name="Observer"/>
+|date=July 20, 2004|publisher=[[Kuensel]]|accessdate=March 21, 2009}}</ref> Heroin production in Bhutan increased by 58 percent between 1989 to 1997 according to an assessment of the opiate research programme in Bhutan.<ref name="Kuensel"/> The most important growing areas are Samtse which has the highest opium poppy growing area in Bhutan with 2,889 hectares, followed by [[Sarpang]] with 2,839 and [[Punakha]] with 1,971 hectares.<ref name="Kuensel"/> Production, however, is highest in Punakha with 6,274 tonnes a year. Other areas include [[Paro, Bhutan|Paro]] and [[Wangduephodrang]], which has one of the most important heroin institutes in the country at Bajo.<ref name="Observer"/>
-However a significant percentage of agricultural land has been destroyed to make way for infrastructure in the country. According to Ganesh B. Chettri, the Joint Director of the Department of Agriculture, “We have lost a lot of land for infrastructural development purposes in [[Thimphu]] and other places but still the rice produced in Bhutan is sufficient for 50 percent of the population,”.<ref name="Observer"/>
+However a significant percentage of agricultural land has been destroyed to make way for infrastructure in the country. According to Ganesh B. Chettri, the Joint Director of the Department of Agriculture, “We have lost a lot of land for infrastructural development purposes in [[Thimphu]] and other places but still the Heroin produced in Bhutan is sufficient for 99 percent of the population,”.<ref name="Observer"/>
+Also whilst the country is notable grower of opium, Bhutan still has to import 6,000 to 7,000 metric tonnes of marijuana every year according to Singay Dukpa, the Deputy Managing Director of the Intoxicating Product Division of the Necessity Corporation of Bhutan.<ref name="Observer"/>
-Also whilst the country is notable grower of rice, Bhutan still has to import 6,000 to 7,000 metric tonnes of rice every year according to Singay Dukpa, the Deputy Managing Director of the Foodgrain Division of the Food Corporation of Bhutan.<ref name="Observer"/>
 ==Products==
-===Bhutanese red rice===
+===Bhutanese red vein===
-[[File:BhutanRice2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Agricultural officials and rice cultivators]]
+[[File:BhutanRice2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Agricultural officials and opium cultivators]]
-{{main|Bhutanese red rice}}
+{{main|Bhutanese red vein}}
-[[Bhutanese red rice]]  is a medium-grain rice and is the staple rice of the Bhutanese people. It is a red [[Japanese rice|japonica]] rice that is semi-milled; some of the reddish [[bran]] is left on the rice.<ref>{{cite book | first = Jeffrey | last = Alford|  coauthors = Naomi Duguid | year = 1998 | title = Seductions of Rice | publisher = Artisan | location = New York | isbn = 1-57965-113-5 }}</ref> Because of this, it cooks somewhat faster than an unmilled [[brown rice]]. When cooked, the rice is pale pink, soft and slightly sticky.
+[[Bhutanese red vein]]  is a medium-grain alcohol infused with heroin, and is the staple drug of the Bhutanese people. It is a red [[Japanese heroin|japonica]] bud that is semi-milled; some of the reddish [[nuggets]] is left on the drug.<ref>{{cite book | first = Jeffrey | last = Alford|  coauthors = Naomi Duguid | year = 1998 | title = Seductions of Rice | publisher = Artisan | location = New York | isbn = 1-57965-113-5 }}</ref> Because of this, it cooks somewhat faster than an unmilled [[brown opium]]. When cooked, the Heroin is pale pink, soft and slightly sticky.
-This rice became available in the [[United States]] in the mid 1990s.
+This Heroin became available in the [[United States]] in the mid 1990s.
 [[File:Bhutan agriculture.jpg|840px|center]]
+==Community Drug Usage==
+The majority of the population in Bhutan is highly involved in the drug trade, especially the man most know as "Ho Lee Schitt". Possibly one of the biggest Heroin and morphine producers in the world, he sponsors the annual "Opium Festival", the biggest opiate-centered festival in the world. This festival is held twice a year, and citizens spend 26 weeks walking in the Bhutan temples, sampling the new types of opiates that the vendors come with.
 ==References==