Poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has seen a ten per cent increase in the area but drug production a whopping 43 per cent, according to the UNODC Survey 2016. It accounts for third highest level increase in more than two decades, and coincides with a surge in Taliban insurgency. Poppy cultivation is spreading to new areas, as the number of poppy-free provinces fell to 13 from 14 out of a total of 34.
Another key findings of the Survey is that there had been a 30 percent increase in the estimated yield from poppy fields this year, bringing potential production to the seventh-highest on record, 43 percent more than in 2015.
Andrey Avetisyan, regional representative of the United Nations on Drug and Crime (UNODC) said area under poppy increased to 201,000 hectares in 2016. Drug production has gone up to 4.800 metric tons, up from 3.300 metric tons a year ago.
“Drugs have direct links with corruption, terrorism and development. Without tackling drug problem and elicit economy, in general, it will not be possible to solve other problems facing Afghanistan,” ‎ Avetisyan ‎s‎aid, and urged the international community to continue its aid for tackling drugs.
The government’s loosening grip on security in many areas contributed to a collapse in poppy eradication efforts, a method championed by the United States after it led an invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 when the country was under Taliban rule.
“The survey shows a worrying reversal in efforts to combat the persistent problem of illicit drugs and their impact on development, health and security,” UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov said.
UNODC Survey 2016 shows that Helmand, Badghis, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Nangarhar, Farah, Badakhshan and Nimroz are the provinces that poppies were largely cultivated in. Jawzjan province has however succeeded in eliminating poppy cultivation over the past one year.
Strong increases poppy acreage is reported in the northern region and in Badghis province where the security situation has deteriorated since 2015. The western region, which includes Badghis, has the second-biggest area under cultivation after the southern region.
In 2016, 93 percent of drug cultivated in the south, east and west of the country where security challenges was high.