Opium cultivation in Afghanistan has declined sharply following the Taliban government’s 2022 ban on the crop. According to a survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the total area under opium poppy cultivation fell by 20 percent compared to the previous year, while opium production dropped by 32 percent during the same period.
The BBC reported on Thursday (November 6) that Afghanistan once produced more than 80 percent of the world’s opium, with about 95 percent of Europe’s heroin originating from Afghan opium.
After toppling the U.S.-backed government, the Taliban imposed a nationwide ban on opium in April 2022, citing that it was harmful and contrary to Islamic principles.
The UN stated that despite “serious economic challenges,” most farmers have complied with the ban. However, due to the lack of profitable alternatives, limited agricultural productivity, and harsh climatic conditions, more than 40 percent of the country’s arable land now remains fallow.
This year, opium poppy cultivation has been recorded on about 10,200 hectares of land, mostly concentrated in the country’s northeast. Before the 2022 ban, Afghanistan had over 200,000 hectares of land dedicated to poppy cultivation.
The UNODC also noted that efforts by the Taliban to eradicate poppy fields have at times led to violent clashes with farmers. Reports indicate casualties during confrontations in several districts of the northeastern Badakhshan province.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of Afghan farmers continue to adhere to the decree issued by the Taliban’s supreme leader. Poor farmers, however, have expressed frustration over the lack of support for cultivating alternative crops.
