Opium poppy field in Myanmar. Myanmar opium cultivation reaches ten-year peak Peace and Security
Opium poppy cultivation in Myanmar has reached its highest level in ten years. This was reported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in its new report. The study comes at a critical time for a country experiencing protracted conflict and socio-economic instability.
According to the report, the area under poppy cultivation in Myanmar increased by 17 percent from last year, from 45,200 hectares to 53,100 hectares. Economic factors play a key role in this. Since 2019, the price of opium at farmers’ markets has more than doubled, from $160 to $365 per kilogram. Rising prices and declining supplies of heroin from Afghanistan provide incentives for further expansion of production in Myanmar, according to the UNP.
Despite the increase in the area planted, yields per hectare have declined. The reason was armed clashes and general instability, preventing farmers from tending their fields and obtaining the necessary resources. However, total opium production remains historically high.
The report also documents early signs that heroin from Myanmar is beginning to flow into markets previously supplied by Afghan opium. Over the past year, there have been repeated cases of heroin being seized from passengers traveling from Southeast Asia to Europe. Although these are isolated episodes so far, the changing black market situation could encourage further expansion of production.
“Myanmar is at a critical juncture, with rising acreage reflecting a rebound in the opium economy and indicating further expansion is possible,” said Delphine Shantz, OPA Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
60~p>She stressed that unless viable alternatives are created for farmers, the cycle of poverty and dependence on illegal cultivation will only intensify. According to her, what is happening now in Myanmar will affect the drug markets not only in the region, but also far beyond its borders, and requires urgent measures.