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A man extracts raw opium from poppy buds on the outskirts of Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan on April 18, 2017. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported a 32 percent increase in opium cultivation, one of the latest harvests and the largest in the country’s history.Photo by Mohammad Sadik/EPA-EFE
November 1 (Unified User Interface) – UN report on opium growth Afghanistan It was found that cultivation of the poppy plant has increased by 32% since the Taliban took control of the country.
Afghanistan It is the largest opium grower in the world, and its supply is soaring year by year. In 2020, the national planting area will be 233,000 hectares, an increase of 32% over 2021.
The 2022 crop will be the third largest growing area since the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime began monitoring opium growth. One hectare is equal to 2.4711 acres.
It is estimated that Afghanistan supplies opium to 8 out of 10 opiate users worldwide. Although opium is used in many prescription pain relievers, it is also a key ingredient in heroin.
According to statistics, in the United States alone, about 143,000 people died from heroin overdose between 1999 and 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Prescription opioids are also highly addictive, and overdose can be fatal. In 2020, more than 74% of drug overdose deaths were from opioids.
“The international community must work to address the urgent needs of the Afghan people and strengthen its response to stop criminal groups from trafficking heroin and harming people around the world,” said UNODC Executive Director Garda Valli.
As the overall planted area increased, yields fell by about 10 kg per hectare due to drought. The total production of 6,200 tons was 10% lower than last year, but was still enough to produce and export 380 tons of heroin.
The Taliban announced a ban on poppy cultivation in April. That hasn’t stopped trafficking out of the country, but prices have risen. The 2022 harvest was the most profitable for farmers since 2017.
The price per kilo has almost doubled. When the Taliban takes power in 2021, a kilogram of opium will cost about $116. Prices rose to $203 per kilo after the ban was announced.
The appreciation of opium makes it a greater contributor to Afghanistan’s agricultural economy. The illicit drug market in 2021 will account for 29% of the country’s total agricultural economy.
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