UNODC released its latest poppy cultivation statistics on November 6, confirming that poppy cultivation is expected to grow by an estimated 19 percent in 2024.
It is estimated that 12,800 hectares of opium is cultivated despite the ban of the Taliban. But the latest figures are still well below pre-ban levels.
The value of the opium crop in 2024 is estimated to be around US$260 million, an increase of 130 percent from 2023, but still 80 percent below the pre-ban value of 2022.
“The second year of decline in opium cultivation and production presents both opportunities and complex challenges,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Wali. “International efforts must be coordinated to ensure this.”
“We need to help transform poppy-dependent rural communities into legitimate, economically viable alternatives through investment in infrastructure, agricultural resources and sustainable livelihoods.”
More profit
Farmers, in 2024, planted alternative crops like wheat and cotton on barren land. But opium gives 60 times more profit than wheat. In the absence of profitable, legitimate alternatives, farmers facing financial difficulties may be forced to return to poppy cultivation.
Traditionally, two-thirds of opium cultivation has been concentrated in southwestern Afghanistan, but now it can be found in the northeastern provinces.
UNODC, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has released a report on capacity and resources to treat substance use disorders in Afghanistan.
Survey results show that medical services are available in 32 of 34 provinces, but there are significant disparities in service delivery, access and gender representation, particularly affecting female patients.
Although most patients use opiates for treatment, demand for services to address stimulant use disorders is increasing as the availability of synthetic substances such as methamphetamine increases in Afghanistan.