Afghanistan’s area under opium-poppy cultivation has increased 63% since 2016, rising to 810,505 acres, while its potential opium production increased 87% to an estimated 9,000 tons – both records for the country despite years of anti-narcotics efforts.
Despite eradication rising 111% to cover 1,853 acres, the number of poppy-free provinces declined to 10 from 13 in 2016. The average opium yield also rose 15%, to just over 24 pounds an acre. The spike in production was driven by both a greater area under cultivation and larger yields.
There was no single reason behind the increases, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
“The multiple drivers are complex and geographically diverse, as many elements continue to influence farmers’ decisions regarding opium poppy cultivation,” the UNODC said in its annual report on Afghanistan’s opium production, released Wednesday.
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