Afghan Opium Production Collapses After Taliban’s Strict Nationwide Ban

Afghanistan’s once-booming opium industry has nearly collapsed following a strict nationwide ban enforced by the Taliban in 2022, according to a new United Nations report. The move has drastically reduced global opium supply, but left thousands of Afghan farmers facing economic despair.

A Drastic Decline in Opium Cultivation

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that opium cultivation in Afghanistan dropped by 20% in land area and 32% in total production over the past year. Before the ban, Afghanistan accounted for over 80% of global opium output, feeding the international heroin market particularly in Europe.

Now, only about 10,200 hectares of land remain under poppy cultivation, compared to more than 200,000 hectares before the ban. Provinces like Balkh, Farah, Laghman, and Uruzgan have been declared completely poppy-free for 2025.

“The near elimination of cultivation from traditional strongholds illustrates the scale and durability of the ban,” the UN report said.

Farmers Trapped Between Poverty and Punishment

For Afghan farmers, the shift has been devastating. Many who once relied on the lucrative poppy trade now struggle to make ends meet.

Although poppy fields have mostly disappeared from open view, small secret farms still exist in remote areas. Some farmers continue to risk punishment just to feed their families. “I can’t provide food for my children,” said another grower. “What should I do? I’m forced to do this.”

Synthetic Drugs on the Rise

While opium cultivation has plummeted, synthetic drug trafficking especially methamphetamine has surged across Afghanistan and neighboring countries. UNODC reported a 50% increase in meth seizures in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Experts warn that synthetic drugs are cheaper and easier to produce, requiring less farmland and fewer workers making them an attractive alternative for criminal networks.

A Nation Searching for Balance

The Taliban justify the ban on religious and moral grounds, calling opium cultivation “un-Islamic.” Yet, the economic fallout is undeniable. With over 40% of farmland left unused, many communities are struggling to find viable crops or external aid.

Afghanistan’s new drug policy may have reshaped the global narcotics trade, but it has also deepened the country’s internal struggle between faith, survival, and the desperate search for livelihood.