Myanmar Surpasses Afghanistan as Global Leader in Opium Production, UN Reports

 

In 2023, Myanmar has taken the lead as the world's largest opium producer, surpassing Afghanistan following the Taliban government's crackdown on the opium trade, as per a United Nations report unveiled on Tuesday. The latest report from the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) indicates that Myanmar's opium production reached an estimated 1,080 metric tonnes this year, a significant increase from the previous year.

The shift in rankings comes after Afghanistan witnessed a dramatic 95 percent decline in opium production, dropping to around 330 tonnes, following the Taliban's prohibition of poppy cultivation in April of the preceding year, as reported by UNODC.

Historically, the "Golden Triangle" region straddling Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand has been notorious for illegal drug production and trafficking, including methamphetamine and opium. The opiate economy in Myanmar is now valued between $1 billion and $2.4 billion, equivalent to 1.7 to 4.1 percent of the country's 2022 GDP, according to UNODC.

In the previous year, Myanmar produced an estimated 790 metric tonnes of opium. The nation's legal economy has grappled with conflict and instability since the military seized power in 2021, leading to an increase in poppy cultivation by farmers seeking alternative sources of income.

Poor market access, inadequate state infrastructure, and rampant inflation played a pivotal role in the decision of many farmers in late 2022 to cultivate more poppy, according to the report. The estimated opium production for the period 2022-23 is at its highest level in over two decades, notes UNODC. Moreover, poppy cultivation in Myanmar is evolving with increased sophistication, marked by greater investments and improved practices, including enhanced irrigation and the potential use of fertilizers, resulting in higher crop yields.

While Afghanistan, a long-time global opium producer, witnessed a collapse in cultivation due to the Taliban's commitment to ending illegal drug production, Myanmar has experienced a surge in opium production. In Myanmar, the primary opium-producing region is Shan state, where recent weeks have seen heightened conflict after ethnic minority armed groups launched an offensive against the military junta and its allies.

Shan state, accounting for approximately 88 percent of the national opium poppy cultivation area, experienced an increase in opium yield per hectare from 19.8 kilograms in 2022 to 29.4 kilograms in 2023. This state, occupying nearly a quarter of Myanmar's land mass, is known for its diverse ethnic armed organizations and serves as Southeast Asia's primary source of methamphetamine, according to the UN.

Cultivation has also risen in northern Kachin state and Chin state on the border with India, signaling a broader trend. Analysts argue that the military junta, which seized power in 2021, lacks genuine commitment to ending the multi-billion dollar opium trade, as evidenced by a rare admission from Myanmar's Central Committee on Drug Abuse Control earlier this year acknowledging the ineffectiveness of their efforts to curb the trade.