A few days ago, i read this news article about our local ranger that found and destroyed 5 hectare illegal cannabis crop field in the middle of a jungle. In my homeland, Aceh.
Yes, 5 Hectare. 50.000 m2 (square meter) or 12,3 Acre.
someone already do the math.
To do land clearing for the farm in the deep jungle, it only cost about USD 600.
The money spends generally for foods and living cost in the jungle for 15 days.
After the land clearing, the farmer plant the cannabis seeds and then leave the farm.
The farmers only coming back to the farm twice a month just to clear the bush and wild grass around the cannabis plants. During this time, until harvest time (6 month), it only cost for USD 300.
Pretty cheap, right?
So, one hectare farm can contain 9.000 cannabis plant, so 5 hectare can contain 45.000 plant!
How much the profit?
one hectare can produce 45 tonne (100.000 lbs), so 5 hectare, 225 tonne (500.000 lbs).
For one kilogram, at the farmer level, the price range is usd 4. So, for full 5 ha of cannabis harvest, someone can make USD 200.000 profit!!
This kind of news of huge cannabis farm actually pretty common news here in Aceh.
Why so?
Well, aceh still have a big forest area, aceh have 3 million hectare wide wild forest. But, the numbers of the forest rangers is too small to cover all these area.
Thats why, theres always news about many hectares of cannabis found in the deep jungle by the cops and rangers.
Traditionally, our ancestor used cannabis seeds as flavoring ingredient for our traditional main dish like beef curry etc.
Moreover, you can easily find a joint in the streets in Aceh.
I, who don't even smoke, can acquire a joints after a few call to friends. That easy.
Anyways, anyone of you steemian would to do something illegal tour here in aceh?
I can be your guide. LOL.
Best regards.