Wheat and cotton failed to provide profit: What is forcing Afghan farmers to break the ban?
The cultivation of poppy (opium poppy) and the volume of illegal opium production in Afghanistan have increased at a sharp rate. According to the "Afghanistan International" publication, a report released by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in October 2026 recorded the highest growth rates in this sector in recent years.
The main reasons cited for this are the severe economic hardships faced by Afghan farmers, the lack of alternative sources of income, and the impossibility of making a profit from traditional agricultural products due to drought.
Surprising numbers: 43 thousand hectares and 1500 tons of opium
In the analytical data provided by the UN office, the situation is assessed as follows:
Sharp expansion of areas: In 2026, the area planted with poppies in Afghanistan reached nearly 43,000 hectares. Compared to the 2025 figure (approximately 10,000 hectares), this represents a 330 percent increase;
5-fold increase in production: The volume of opium production has reached nearly 1,500 tons from last year's 300 tons, representing a 400 percent growth;
First wave after the ban: Although current figures are lower than the period before the official ban introduced by the "Taliban" in 2022 (when the area was 232,000 hectares), this is considered the first serious and massive jump observed since the ban was implemented.
What is forcing farmers to take this step?
UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly noted that as long as poor farmers have no other legal and sustainable source of income to feed their families, preventing such illegal crops will remain extremely difficult:
Unprofitability of legal crops: Interviews with farmers show that the income from wheat cultivation barely covers the costs incurred. The price of cotton has dropped by nearly three times in some regions;
Risk of hunger in families: According to farmers, while a single season's poppy harvest used to be enough to fully support the entire family throughout the year, the meager income currently obtained from legal products is not even enough to feed their children properly;
Drought and water scarcity: More than half of the country's population suffers from systemic water shortages and drought. Furthermore, the return of millions of refugees to their homeland has intensified competition for limited resources and jobs, pushing farmers to plant poppies, which provide quick and high income;
Valuable harvest: Although the current price of opium has decreased from last year's $570 to $500 per kilogram, it is still five times more expensive than the price in the pre-ban period (less than $100).
Hiding from inspections and official reaction
Under the conditions of the ban, to avoid punishment, farmers use various camouflage and covert methods: they plant small poppy patches inside tall grain fields, in hidden corners of their plots, and artificially change planting times to avoid raids.
In turn, official representatives of the "Taliban" rejected the numbers in the UN report, stating that the actual planting areas are half of what was reported. Government officials emphasized that special raids to destroy poppy fields are ongoing and noted that financial support from the international community is necessary to create alternative sources of livelihood for farmers.
The deep economic and climate crisis in Afghanistan is providing a new impetus for the cultivation of illegal drugs, raising new alarming signals for regional security.
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