Afghanistan's opium production jumps fivefold in a year as farmers work around the Taliban's ban
UN News summarizes the UNODC survey: where poppy is now grown, how farmers hide it, and what it means for heroin supply.
What happened: A UN Office on Drugs and Crime survey released Oct. 29 found the area planted with opium poppy in Afghanistan grew to more than 43,000 hectares, up from about 10,000 in 2025. Estimated opium production rose from about 300 tonnes to just under 1,500. It is the first significant increase since the Taliban banned poppy in 2022, though still far below the roughly 232,000 hectares grown before the ban.
Why it matters: Before the ban Afghanistan supplied around 80% of the world's illicit opium. UNODC says farmers are hiding plots inside cereal fields and walled compounds and staggering harvests, and that with traffickers' stockpiles running down, cultivation could climb further.
How much agreement is there? Some disagreement. The numbers come from UNODC; the Taliban authorities say they eradicated 22,000 hectares this year. UNODC's chief says the rise shows bans don't hold when poor farmers have no other way to feed their families.
Could someone help? UNODC is calling for investment in farm livelihoods, infrastructure and market access so families have alternatives to poppy.
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Opium production in Afghanistan
After exploring Afghanistan opium production jumps fivefold as farmers find ways round Taliban ban, the longer history is in Opium production in Afghanistan.
Covers Afghanistan's long history of opium poppy cultivation; before the 2021 Taliban takeover its harvest produced more than 90% of the world's illicit heroin.
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