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Supply will work to match the demand. The US buying as much as $3 billion would put a huge floor on the demand. The illicit buyers would add more demand on top
by trynumber9 12y ago
Supply will work to match the demand. The US buying as much as $3 billion would put a huge floor on the demand. The illicit buyers would add more demand on top of that. The resulting higher price would encourage poppy farming yet again. But while production is ramping up it'd work.
I think it is wiser to pay farmers not to grow poppies.
- e12e 12y agoIf we can't prevent farmes to grow poppies when it's "illegal" to do so, what's to prevent farmers from taking money to "not grow" and still grow opium? I suppose, if one buys into the idea that this is mostly the result of a free marked (as opposed to an intricate web of political, economic and organized violent crime) -- one could offer to pay opium prices for food crops. But then you'd probably have to destroy that food, in order to prevent people from selling the food back, and collecting double payments on "not growing poppies"...
- nraynaud 12y agoAnd buying wheat or whatever that they need time and effort to produce from them at a golden price? (I don't know, I'm just sending a random idea)