Since the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban in August 2021, opium cultivation increased by 32%, or 56,000 hectares, compared to the previous year. This represents the third largest area under cultivation since the beginning of systematic monitoring. The area under opium poppy cultivation in the 2022 cropping season was estimated at 233,000 hectares. Opium cultivation continued to be concentrated in the south-western parts of the country (accounting for 73%), where the largest increases took place, followed by the western provinces (accounting for 14%).
In some regions opium poppy cultivation occupied a significant proportion of overall agricultural land. For example, in Hilmand province one-fifth of arable land was dedicated to opium poppy, and in some districts the proportion was even higher – taking away fields from vitally important food crops, including wheat.
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Source: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime