{"id":270045,"date":"2023-12-13T01:00:13","date_gmt":"2023-12-13T01:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hamslivenews.com\/?p=270045"},"modified":"2023-12-13T08:31:58","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T08:31:58","slug":"myanmar-surpasses-afghanistan-as-worlds-largest-source-of-opium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hamslive.com\/news\/2023\/12\/myanmar-surpasses-afghanistan-as-worlds-largest-source-of-opium\/","title":{"rendered":"Myanmar surpasses Afghanistan as world\u2019s largest source of opium"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Opium, the base from which morphine and heroin are produced, is harvested from poppy flowers.<\/p>\n

Myanmar has surpassed Afghanistan to become world\u2019s largest source of opium in 2023 after a third consecutive year of expanding cultivation fueled by the country\u2019s civil war, the United Nations said in a new report.<\/p>\n

This has happened due to various factors such as domestic instability and a significant decline in opium cultivation in Afghanistan. After the Taliban imposed a ban on drugs in 2022, opium cultivation in Afghanistan decreased by 95%, leading to a global shift in the opium supply to Myanmar.<\/p>\n

The UNODC’s report highlighted that political, social, and economic instability resulting from the 2021 coup in Myanmar prompted many individuals to turn to poppy farming.<\/p>\n

This shift has resulted in a substantial increase in earnings for Myanmar farmers, with opium poppy farming now yielding about 75% higher profits. The average price of opium poppies has risen to approximately $355 per kilogram, and the cultivation area has expanded by 18% year-on-year, reaching 47,000 hectares, marking the highest potential yield since 2001.<\/p>\n

Jeremy Douglas, the UNODC Regional Representative, noted that the upheaval following the military takeover in 2021 continues to drive farmers in remote areas towards opium cultivation as a means of livelihood.<\/p>\n

Opium cultivation expanded significantly in Myanmar’s border regions, primarily in northern Shan State, followed by Chin and Kachin states. The UNODC report highlighted a 16% increase in yield, reaching 22.9 kilograms per hectare due to more sophisticated farming practices.<\/p>\n

Douglas also warned that the escalating conflict between the Myanmar military and armed ethnic-minority groups is likely to further accelerate the expansion of opium cultivation in the region.<\/p>\n

(Inputs from Reuters)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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