Opium poppy field in Myanmar. Myanmar has become the world’s largest opium producer, overtaking Afghanistan Peace and Security
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said on Tuesday that Myanmar is now the largest producer of opium. The economic and political crisis following the 2021 coup d’état and the widening conflict between the army and armed groups are pushing the population to grow opium poppies.
According to UNODC, Myanmar has overtaken Afghanistan, where the Taliban banned opium cultivation in April last year, resulting in a 95 percent reduction. February 2021, continue to push farmers in remote areas of the country to produce opium for a living,” said Jeremy Douglas, UNODC regional representative.
Conflict that broke out in October between the junta and an alliance of armed ethnic groups has spread to more than two-thirds of the country, with Myanmar’s military reportedly losing control of key populations points.
Douglas suggests that the escalation in Shan State and other border areas will accelerate the trend towards expanding opium poppy cultivation.
Investment in production
UNODC reported that the most significant increase in opium production – by 20 percent – was recorded in Shan State, located in the so-called Golden Triangle, which is considered a center of drug production and smuggling.
Yield Myanmar’s poppy production this year was estimated to be 36 percent higher than in 2022, reflecting investments in updated farming techniques, irrigation systems and fertilizers by farmers and their clients.
Criminal System
Expanding opium cultivation fuels illicit economies in countries Mekong River Basin: synthetic drug production and trafficking, money laundering and illegal online activities such as casinos and fraud.
“The crisis in Myanmar is exacerbating crime and governance problems in the region. Southeast Asia must come together to confront both long-standing and new threats,” Douglas said.
UNODC noted that domestic decisions must take into account the complex circumstances and vulnerabilities of people in opium-growing regions. The Office works with farmers and local communities to improve socio-economic conditions and create income-generating opportunities, helping to build resilience to conflict and crisis.