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UNODC: Poppy cultivation quadruples to 43,300 hectares in 2026

By Drooid · Oct 29, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

UNODC reports poppy cultivation more than quadrupled in 2026 to about 43,300 hectares.
Opium output rose 400% to just under 1,500 tonnes, up from 300 tonnes last year.
Taliban officials dispute the UN estimate, saying actual cultivation is about half the reported figure.
UN agencies warn child malnutrition is critical in 10 provinces and could rise to 14 by 2027.

History

The 2001 U.S. invasion toppled the Taliban, but the ensuing security vacuum let opium cultivation explode, reaching about 3,000 tonnes in 2007 – a ten-fold rise from pre-war levels. UNODC’s 2026 estimate of 1,500 tonnes on 43,300 hectares mirrors that boom, while Taliban officials again contest the figures, prompting renewed UN and NGO counter-narcotics focus.

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The 2001 U.S. invasion toppled the Taliban, but the ensuing security vacuum let opium cultivation explode, reaching about 3,000 tonnes in 2007 – a ten-fold rise from pre-war levels. UNODC’s 2026 estimate of 1,500 tonnes on 43,300 hectares mirrors that boom, while Taliban officials again contest the figures, prompting renewed UN and NGO counter-narcotics focus.

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