PoliticsPhoto: NDTV BusinessAfghan Opium Cultivation Surges Despite Taliban Ban in 2026
In 2026, opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan increased fourfold to 43,000 hectares, with production rising fivefold to about 1,500 tonnes despite the Taliban's ban. Poverty and lack of alternative livelihoods pushed farmers, especially in Badakhshan, back to growing opium. Previously the top global producer, Afghanistan lost its position to Myanmar after the 2022 crackdown, which had reduced cultivation drastically in 2025.
NDTV Business··Badakhshan




