According to a new United Nations report, Myanmar surpassed Afghanistan to become the world's largest opium producer in 2023.

Afghanistan has been the world's largest opium producing country for many years. In 2022, after the Taliban implemented anti drug laws, the opium cultivation area in Afghanistan decreased by 95%, leading to the transfer of global supply to Myanmar. The political, social, and economic instability in Myanmar, triggered by the 2021 coup, has driven many people to engage in opium cultivation.

    From 2022 to 2023, the estimated land area used for the cultivation of illegal crops in Myanmar increased by 18%, from 40100 hectares to 47000 hectares. Farmers in Myanmar now earn about 75% more from opium cultivation than before, as the average price of poppy flowers has reached about $355 per kilogram.
    The United Nations report states that across the countryopiumShan State accounts for approximately 88% of the planting area. In the eastern part of Shan State, the average estimated yield of opium per hectare has increased from 19.8 kilograms surveyed in 2022 to 29.4 kilograms in 2023.

Shan State almost occupies a quarter of Myanmar's land, covered in ravines and jungle covered hills. The northern part of Shan State has been in a state of war in recent weeks, following an attack by an ethnic minority armed group alliance against the military government and its allies.

The United Nations stated that in the northern part of Kachin State and the state bordering India,opiumThe planting area has also increased.There are also signs of significant opium cultivation in the border province of Myanmar and India. It is estimated that the average opium production has increased by 16%, reaching 22.9 kilograms per hectare, exceeding the record set in 2022, reflecting farmers and buyers adopting more advanced farming methods and investing in irrigation systems and fertilizers.

The expansion of opium cultivation has fueled the growing illegal economy in the Mekong region, maintaining a high level of synthetic drug production. Drug trafficking, money laundering, and online criminal activities, including gambling and fraud, are intertwined, bringing huge profits to organized criminal groups in the region.

The United Nations Deputy Regional Representative on Drugs and Crime, Hoffman, said, "In the current situation, Myanmar's agricultural communities are in a dilemma of insecurity and economic difficulties. Especially in the absence of the rule of law, there may even be more people who have no choice but to consider opium as a viable crop. Therefore, our cooperation with Myanmar and Laos communities is more important than ever before."