Afghan farmers have lost income of more than $1 billion from opium sales after the Taliban outlawed poppy cultivation, according to a report from the UN drugs agency on November 5. Afghanistan was the world’s biggest opium producer when the Taliban seized power in August 2021. They pledged to wipe out the country’s drug cultivation industry and imposed a formal ban in April 2022, dealing a heavy blow to hundreds of thousands of farmers and day laborers who relied on proceeds from the crop to survive. Opium cultivation crashed by 95 percent after the ban, the report said.
Afghan Farmers Have Lost $1 Billion Since Taliban Banned Poppy Cultivation
- By AP
Editors' Picks
Afghanistan/Pakistan Trending
1
Once Allies, Pakistan And Afghan Taliban Lurch Toward Full-Blown Conflict
2Fierce Fighting, High Number Of Casualties Reported Along Pakistan-Afghanistan Border
3Communications Restored In Afghanistan After 2-Day Blackout
4Afghanistan In Massive Internet Shutdown Amid Taliban 'Morality' Crackdown
5After Internet Restored, Afghans Recount ‘Being Suffocated’ During Blackout
6Afghanistan And Pakistan Agree Cease-Fire After Deadly Air Strikes And Ground Fighting
7Kabul Gripped By Fear Of More Attacks After Suspected Pakistani Air Strikes
8Afghanistan's Taliban 'Here To Stay' As It Gains De Facto International Acceptance
9Afghan's Taliban Rulers Release US Citizen From Custody After Trump Envoy's Visit
10Afghanistan, Pakistan To Hold Peace Talks In Doha Amid Fragile Cease-Fire
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.