Bring On The Pomegranate

摘要

The Koran mentions the pomegranate as one of the fruits found in paradise, and medical research suggests it may help those wanting to extend their stay in this world. Rich in antioxidants, the pomegranate is promoted in the West as a defence against prostate cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. So in Afghanistan, where the United Nations reports another hefty Afghan opium harvest this year, the hope is that this life-giving fruit can displace the life-sapping drug trade that is, moreover, closely tied to the Taliban insurgency.rnIn early November the Afghan agriculture ministry and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) held a World Pomegranate Fair at a model farm on the edge of Kabul. The organisers pointed out that pomegranate prices had quadrupled in five years, making the fruit arnpotential rival to the lucrative poppy.