Taliban regime: Opium cultivation down 95%

Opium cultivation in Afghanistan has all but stopped, falling 95 per cent since the Taliban (under UN sanctions for extremism) outlawed poppy production last year, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said.

“Opium cultivation fell across all parts of the country, from 233,000 hectares to just 10,800 hectares in 2023. The decrease has led to a corresponding 95 per cent drop in the supply of opium, from 6,200 tons in 2022 to just 333 tons in 2023,” a new research brief read.

The Taliban pledged to wipe out poppy cultivation after they came to power in August 2021 and imposed a ban in April 2022. Revenues from poppy harvesting by Afghan farmers fell by more than $1 billion to $110 million this year.

UN envoy for Afghanistan Roza Otunbayeva said nearly 80 per cent of the Afghan population depended on agriculture. This means that Afghanistan needs more investment to provide farmers with opportunities away from opium.