Opium cultivation grows in Myanmar under military rule: UN

Opium cultivation has increased in Myanmar under military rule. In February 2021, the country's military junta overthrew the democratic government and seized power.

After that, drug production started to increase across the country. However, between 2014 and 2020, opium production was decreasing every year. Al-Jazeera reported this with reference to UNODC.

According to the report, opium was cultivated in more than 40 thousand hectares of land last year. Its potential yield is 790 metric tons. Opium is a highly addictive drug, which is processed into heroin.

Unodyssey

• Regional Representative Jeremy Douglas said, “Opium cultivation has increased since the military took power in Myanmar due to the disruption of economic security and governance. Rural farmers in other border states, including the conflict-prone areas of northern Shan, had no choice but to return to opium cultivation.”
  
  

Reuters contacted a spokesman for Myanmar's junta government for comment. But the spokesperson did not comment.

Benedict Hoffman, UNODC Myanmar country manager, expressed fears that opium cultivation in Myanmar would expand further. Because after the military junta took power in 2021, the country's economy started collapsing. The depreciation of the country's currency against the dollar has pushed up food and fuel prices.