UN: Afghan opium poppy cultivation more than quadruples in 2026 despite Taliban ban
The UN drugs office says poppy cultivation in Afghanistan rose from 10,000 to 43,000 hectares in 2026 despite the Taliban ban. Farmers cite poverty and drought, and the UN says they need alternative livelihoods.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 1Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan more than quadrupled in 2026 despite the Taliban government's ban, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said on 29 October 2026. The HinduLC “Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan more than quadrupled in 2026 despite a Taliban government ban, the United Nations said Thursday” Read at The Hindu ↗ Left · 1The area under cultivation reached 43,000 hectares, up from 10,000 hectares in 2025, and estimated opium production rose fivefold, from 300 tonnes to 1,500 tonnes, according to the UNODC report. The HinduLC “Cultivated areas reached 43,000 hectares (around 1,06,200 acres), up from 10,000 hectares in 2025, while estimated opium production jumped fivefold from 300 tonnes to 1,500 tonnes” Read at The Hindu ↗ Left · 1The Taliban's 2022 ban had cut cultivation from more than 200,000 hectares to 10,000 hectares in 2025, and Myanmar overtook Afghanistan as the leading producer; Myanmar cultivated 53,000 hectares in 2025, with no 2026 figure available. The HinduLC “Afghanistan’s 2022 crackdown drove cultivated areas down from more than 2,00,000 hectares to 10,000 hectares in 2025. Myanmar cultivated 53,000 hectares in 2025, with no 2026 figures available.” Read at The Hindu ↗
Left · 1The Taliban authorities say they destroyed more than 22,000 hectares, but UNODC said many plots were hidden among cereal crops or behind walls, making them hard to detect. The HinduLC “The Taliban authorities claim to have destroyed more than 22,000 hectares. But UNODC said many poppy plots were concealed among cereal crops or behind walls” Read at The Hindu ↗ Left · 1Badakhshan in the northeast has become the main poppy-growing province. In May, two people were killed in clashes when Afghan security forces moved to destroy poppy fields there. The HinduLC “Badakhshan which has become Afghanistan’s main opium poppy-growing province.”“In May, two people were killed in clashes that erupted as Afghan security forces moved to destroy opium poppy fields in Badakhshan.” Read at The Hindu ↗ Left · 1Farmers told AFP that poverty drives them to grow poppies, and that they do so despite threats from the authorities. One said: "Without opium, we cannot even afford basic food." Another said wheat does not earn enough to live on. The HinduLC ““Without opium, we cannot even afford basic food,” Mohammad, a 22-year-old farmer in Afghanistan’s northeast, told AFP.”““If we grow wheat, it is not enough to sustain our lives. We are forced to grow poppies to earn a good income.”” Read at The Hindu ↗
Left · 1Al Jazeera likewise reports farmers saying they are pushed into poppy cultivation as the economy and drought worsen, and that crops such as cotton do not earn enough to feed their children. Al JazeeraLC “Farmers in Afghanistan say they’re being pushed into poppy seed cultivation to make a living despite a ban, as the economic situation and drought worsens.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Left · 1The economics favour poppy: UNODC says a hectare of wheat earned just over $770 in 2023 against $10,000 for a hectare of poppy. Opium prices eased from $570 per kilogramme in 2025 to $500 in 2026, still well above pre-ban levels below $100. The HinduLC “One hectare of wheat generated just over $770 in 2023, compared with $10,000 for a hectare of poppy, according to UNODC.”“Opium prices slightly decreased from US$ 570 per kilogramme in 2025 to US$ 500 per kilogramme in 2026, remaining well above pre-ban levels of less than $100 per kilogramme” Read at The Hindu ↗ Left · 1UNODC Executive Director Monica Juma said the rise shows how hard it is to sustain cuts in cultivation when poor farmers have no alternatives. The Taliban government acknowledged the ban was not a "sustainable and long-term solution" without alternative livelihoods and economic support. The HinduLC ““The fourfold increase in opium poppy cultivation shows the difficulty in sustaining decreases in illicit opium cultivation when poor farmers have no alternatives to feed their families,” said UNODC Executive Director Monica Juma.”“The Taliban government acknowledged that the ban was not a “sustainable and long-term solution” without alternative livelihoods and economic support for farmers.” Read at The Hindu ↗
Left · 1UNODC's Afghanistan representative, Polleak Ok Serei, said alternative crops alone are not enough and farmers need markets, roads, irrigation and storage. He said an approach UNODC estimated in 2025 at about $500 million was only 10% funded, and that Thailand invested 15 years in alternative livelihoods before eradicating. The HinduLC “UNODC estimated in 2025 that the approach would require approximately $500 million, but “only 10%” had been funded by donors and the Taliban authorities”““Thailand spent 15 years investing in alternative livelihood before starting eradicating,”” Read at The Hindu ↗ Left · 1The rise comes as Afghanistan faces the return of 6.6 million Afghans since 2023, climate disasters, dwindling aid and banking isolation. Ok Serei called the issue "an international problem" and urged drug demand reduction beyond Afghanistan; Afghan opium is the main source of heroin in the European Union. The HinduLC “The challenge comes as Afghanistan faces the return of 6.6 million Afghans since 2023, climate disasters, dwindling aid and banking isolation”“Afghan opium is the main source of heroin in the European Union” Read at The Hindu ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets present the rise as driven by poverty and lack of alternatives. AFP's report (carried by The Hindu) leads with the UN figures and uses farmer testimony and UN calls for funding and international cooperation. Al Jazeera's video piece centres on farmers' hardship.
- Emphasis
- Farmers' economic desperation, drought, the funding gap for alternative livelihoods, and the international dimension of the drug trade.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Al Jazeera's short piece gives no UN figures or Taliban response. Neither piece includes an independent assessment of the Taliban's eradication claims beyond UNODC's remark on concealed plots.
- Charged language
- “pushed to opium farming”“surges”
- For example
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“The fourfold increase in opium poppy cultivation shows the difficulty in sustaining decreases in illicit opium cultivation when poor farmers have no alternatives to feed their families” — The Hindu
“Families say that harvesting other crops like cotton does not make enough to feed their children.” — Al Jazeera
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Afghan farmers are growing opium poppy despite the Taliban ban.
- Farmers cite poverty and lack of income from other crops as the reason.
Taliban organisation
The Taliban authorities say they destroyed more than 22,000 hectares and acknowledge that the ban is not a sustainable long-term solution without alternative livelihoods and economic support.
“The Taliban government acknowledged that the ban was not a “sustainable and long-term solution” without alternative livelihoods and economic support for farmers.” — The Hindu
Left2 articles
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The HinduLC · · via AFP
Afghanistan opium poppy cultivation surges despite Taliban government ban: UN
Sympathetic AFP wire copy run by The Hindu: UN figures plus farmers' accounts, presenting the rise as a result of poverty and missing alternatives.
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Afghan farmers pushed to opium farming to make a living
Sympathetic Short video item presenting farmers as pushed into poppy growing by economic hardship and drought.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 29 Oct 07:23 First The HinduLC Afghanistan opium poppy cultivation surges despite Taliban government ban: UN via AFP
- 29 Oct 12:42 +5h 19m Al JazeeraLC Afghan farmers pushed to opium farming to make a living
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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