Opium production in Afghanistan has risen sharply

Despite a ban by the Taliban, opium production in Afghanistan is increasing sharply: October 29, 2026 • 1:50 p.m

The Taliban have banned the cultivation of opium poppies and the production of opium in Afghanistan in 2022. Now, according to the UN, production has increased again for the first time - by 400 percent within a year.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna reports in a report that production of the drug opium in Afghanistan has increased sharply since 2025. Accordingly, in 2026, 43,000 hectares were used to grow opium poppies, which are the basis for the production of opium. In 2025 there would still be 10,000 hectares. The amount of opium actually produced grew from 300 tons to almost 1,500 tons compared to the previous year.

However, cultivation and production are still below the figures from 2021, before the Taliban returned to power and announced a ban. At that time there were 200,000 hectares of opium poppy fields. However, the UN estimates the income of the middlemen in the opium trade at 525 million euros, which corresponds to the level before the ban.

In Afghanistan, opium poppies are often grown hidden between grain fields or buildings.

The increased cost of food is driving many farmers in Afghanistan to illegally grow opium poppies. Many families cannot make a living by growing grain and raising livestock alone. According to UNODC Director Monica Juma, it is therefore difficult to get opium cultivation under control in the long term without improving the financial situation in the country.

The Taliban-appointed foreign minister emphasized that the fight against drugs was one of the regime's greatest achievements. He still called for international help. The UNODC also called for help Afghanistan to create alternative income opportunities for the population - and to reduce the demand for opium on the global market.

This topic in the program: NDR Info | News | Oct 29, 2026 | 9:35 a.m