Myanmar has surpassed Afghanistan to become world’s largest source of opium in 2023 after a third consecutive year of expanding cultivation fueled by the country’s civil war, the United Nations said in a new report.
This has happened due to various factors such as domestic instability and a significant decline in opium cultivation in Afghanistan. After the Taliban imposed a ban on drugs in 2022, opium cultivation in Afghanistan decreased by 95%, leading to a global shift in the opium supply to Myanmar.
The UNODC's report highlighted that political, social, and economic instability resulting from the 2021 coup in Myanmar prompted many individuals to turn to poppy farming.
This shift has resulted in a substantial increase in earnings for Myanmar farmers, with opium poppy farming now yielding about 75% higher profits. The average price of opium poppies has risen to approximately $355 per kilogram, and the cultivation area has expanded by 18% year-on-year, reaching 47,000 hectares, marking the highest potential yield since 2001.
Jeremy Douglas, the UNODC Regional Representative, noted that the upheaval following the military takeover in 2021 continues to drive farmers in remote areas towards opium cultivation as a means of livelihood.
Opium cultivation expanded significantly in Myanmar's border regions, primarily in northern Shan State, followed by Chin and Kachin states. The UNODC report highlighted a 16% increase in yield, reaching 22.9 kilograms per hectare due to more sophisticated farming practices.
Douglas also warned that the escalating conflict between the Myanmar military and armed ethnic-minority groups is likely to further accelerate the expansion of opium cultivation in the region.
(Inputs from Reuters)
