Afghan farmers earn about $1 bln from opium- IMF

WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Afghan farmers earned about $1 billion from opium production in 2007, by far the largest cash crop in the country, the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday.

It said opium production in Afghanistan had spiralled to 8,200 tonnes in 2007, significantly higher than the 185 tonnes in 2001, as the security situation has worsened in the country, making it the world's largest opium producer. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Jan Paschal)