Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – In a surprising reversal, opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan rose by 19% in 2024 despite a 2022 Taliban-imposed ban on narcotics, according to a new United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report released Wednesday.
The report highlights a stark shift after the ban initially led to a 95% drop in opium production. Afghanistan, which once dominated the global opium supply, has seen cultivation levels return, although they remain lower than pre-ban figures. This resurgence brings renewed concerns over Afghanistan’s illicit drug trade, which supplies heroin and synthetic opioids worldwide.
UNODC’s annual survey indicates that the cultivation area expanded to 12,800 hectares (around 32,000 acres), with production migrating from the traditional southwestern heartland to northeastern regions bordering Central Asia. Badakhshan province, close to China, saw a dramatic 381% rise in cultivated land, while Helmand province in the southwest defied the trend with a 400% production spike.
High dry opium prices, now at $730 per kilogram (a stark contrast to the $100 pre-ban average), may be luring farmers back despite the ban, according to the UNODC.
The Taliban have faced challenges enforcing the ban, with recent efforts to destroy fields in Badakhshan sparking violent clashes. The Taliban government has since appealed for international support to assist Afghan farmers in developing alternative livelihoods to alleviate their economic hardships.
“With opium cultivation at lower levels, we have the opportunity to support Afghan farmers in building sustainable income sources away from illicit markets,” said Ghada Waly, UNODC Executive Director, emphasizing the urgent need for humanitarian and financial aid to address the country’s worsening economic crisis.
