Myanmar overtakes Afghanistan as the world’s biggest opium producer, U.N. says

Bangkok, Thailand — Myanmar grew to become the world’s largest producer of opium in 2023, overtaking Afghanistan after the Taliban authorities’s crackdown on the commerce, in accordance with a United Nations report launched on Tuesday.

Myanmar produced an estimated 1,190 tons of opium — important for producing heroin — this 12 months, in accordance with the most recent report by the United Nations Workplace for Medicine and Crime (UNODC).

The figures come after opium manufacturing in Afghanistan slumped an estimated 95 p.c to round 364 tons following the Taliban authorities’s ban on poppy cultivation in April final 12 months, in accordance with UNODC. 

What’s fueling Myanmar’s opium poppy growth?

The “Golden Triangle” border area between Myanmar, Laos and Thailand has lengthy been a hotbed of unlawful drug manufacturing and trafficking, notably of methamphetamine and opium.

The whole estimated worth of Myanmar’s “opiate economic system” rose to between $1 billion and $2.4 billion — the equal of 1.7 to 4.1 p.c of the nation’s 2022 GDP, UNODC stated.

An estimated 871 tons of opium have been produced in Myanmar final 12 months, it stated.

Myanmar’s authorized economic system has been gutted by battle and instability for the reason that navy seized energy in 2021, driving many farmers to develop poppy.

Poor entry to markets and state infrastructure, in addition to rampant inflation, “seems to have performed a major function in farmers’ choices in late 2022 to domesticate extra poppy,” the report stated.

Estimated opium manufacturing for 2022-23 was at its highest stage for greater than 20 years, UNODC stated.

It additionally stated poppy cultivation in Myanmar was changing into extra subtle, with elevated funding and higher practices — together with improved irrigation and doable use of fertilizers — pushing up crop yields.

AFP was unable to succeed in a Myanmar junta spokesman for remark.

A senior police officer working within the nation’s anti-drugs unit stated battle was hampering efforts by regulation enforcement to find and destroy poppy fields.

“With out safety, we can’t do a lot though we wish to,” the officer stated, talking on situation of anonymity.

The primary cultivating space in Myanmar is Shan state, the northern a part of which has been convulsed by combating in current weeks after an alliance of ethnic minority armed teams launched an offensive towards the junta and its allies.

Shan accounted for about 88 p.c of the 102,054 acres of opium poppy areas nationwide, the U.N. report stated. Shan state occupies virtually 1 / 4 of Myanmar’s land mass and is dotted with ravines and jungle-clad hills.

A giddying array of ethnic armed organizations that may name on tens of 1000’s of well-armed fighters management swaths of the state, which the U.N. says can also be Southeast Asia’s major supply of methamphetamine.

Some administer autonomous enclaves granted to them by earlier juntas, which analysts say are dwelling to casinos, brothels and weapons factories.

The U.N. stated cultivation had additionally elevated in northern Kachin state and in Chin state on the border with India.

Analysts say the navy, which ousted an elected authorities and seized energy in 2021, shouldn’t be severe about ending the multi-billion greenback commerce.

In a uncommon admission earlier this 12 months, the top of Myanmar’s Central Committee on Drug Abuse Management stated its efforts to crush the commerce have been having no affect.

Taliban claims opium cultivation “eradicated”

Afghanistan, the world’s largest producer for some years, has seen cultivation collapse after the Taliban authorities vowed to finish unlawful drug manufacturing. In its 2022 report, the UNODC stated poppy cultivation had continued to extend in Afghanistan through the first 12 months of the Taliban’s return to energy. That pattern was dramatically reversed throughout 2023, nevertheless, in accordance with the UNODC information.

Poppy crops accounted for nearly a 3rd of the nation’s whole agricultural manufacturing by worth in 2022, however the space used for poppy shrank from 575,756 acres in late 2022 to 26,687 in 2023.

Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid informed AFP that poppy cultivation had been “eradicated,” however acknowledged the plight of growers pressured to modify to much less profitable crops.

“They’ve stopped rising it now however, sooner or later, it can’t be assured as a result of individuals are dealing with many issues,” he stated.