Opium cultivation in Afghanistan: Farmers fight for survival after ban!

Opium cultivation in Afghanistan: Farmers fight for survival after ban!

Afghanistan is facing a dramatic change in the opium trade: prices for the popular drug have increased tenfold within a year. According to a UNODC report, a kilogram of opium cost $750 in 2023, an explosive increase from $75 in 2022. This price explosion comes amid a massive decline in opium production, which has plummeted by 95 percent since the Taliban banned it in April 2022. From 6,200 tonnes, production fell to just 333 tonnes, with devastating consequences for the rural population who are heavily dependent on this business. Vienna.at reports that poppy cultivation areas have declined from 233,000 hectares to just 10,800 hectares. This calls into question the economic survival of many farming villages.

Economic consequences and humanitarian crisis

The UN warned that profits from drug trafficking are flowing into the hands of transnational crime organizations, further exacerbating destabilized conditions in the country. UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly stressed that Afghan farmers need alternative sources of income to survive the current crisis. Revenue from opium sales has fallen from an estimated $1.36 billion in 2022 to just $110 million in 2023. This forces farmers to switch to less lucrative crops, significantly worsening their economic situation, such as Tagesschau.de reported.

Despite the bleak forecast, Waly also sees an opportunity to make progress in the fight against the illegal opium market. Nevertheless, human aid remains of utmost importance in Afghanistan as the population suffers from hunger and the consequences of decades of conflict. The fluctuating market and the drought, which is also affecting other agricultural sectors, are significantly increasing the people's plight. While the Taliban partially rejects the social and economic consequences of the crisis, Afghans continue to fight for survival in a country facing numerous challenges.