Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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November 6, 2025 Peace and security
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has declined by 20 percent compared to last year, continuing a trend that began after the introduction of a nationwide ban de facto authorities – the Taliban movement – in 2022. However, the growth of synthetic drug production and changing smuggling routes are creating new challenges in the region.
According to a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 10,200 hectares of opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan will be in 2025, down from 12,800 hectares in 2024. This is significantly lower than the 232,000 hectares recorded before the ban.
Opium production declined even more sharply, by almost a third to 296 tons. Farmers' income from opium sales during this period fell almost in half.
The UNODC report stresses the need to combine measures to eradicate illicit crops with support for alternative sources of income and efforts to reduce drug demand.
UNODC/A.Kavanaugh
With UNODC support, Zahoor and thousands of other Afghan farmers have transitioned from opium cultivation to legal farming.
Although many farmers have switched to growing grains and other crops, worsening drought and low rainfall have left more than 40 percent of farmland unusable.
At the same time, the return of some four million Afghans from neighboring countries has put increased pressure on the labor market and natural resources, raising fears that economic hardship could once again make illicit cultivation attractive to the country's population.
The growth of the synthetic drug market
Meanwhile, the production of synthetic drugs, particularly methamphetamine, continues to grow. Seizures of such substances in Afghanistan and neighboring countries increased by 50 percent by the end of 2024 compared to the previous year.
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Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Acting Head of the UN Mission in the country (UNAMA), noted that the problem is regional in nature: "The dynamics of production, demand, and smuggling imply the involvement of both Afghan and international actors. Addressing this issue requires the joint work of all key stakeholders."
The report also says counter-narcotics strategies must go beyond opium to include measures to monitor and interdict the distribution and prevention of synthetic drug use.
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