Taliban insurgency
Areas where the security situation is worse produce more Opium; areas that are more stable seem to produce less. Many farmers in rural areas depend on selling poppy seeds. Opium is more profitable than wheat and destroying opium fields could possibly lead to discontent or unrest among the affected population.  Some 3.3 million Afghans are involved in producing opium. For this reason, some people say that eradicating  poppy crops is not a viable option. Some poppy eradication programs have, however, proven effective, especially in the north of Afghanistan. The  opium poppy eradication program of Balkh Governor Ustad Atta Mohammad Noor between 2005 and 2007 successfully reduced poppy cultivation in Balkh Province from 7,200 hectares in 2005 to zero by 2007.