Opium prices in Afghanistan have soared from $75 to $750 per kilogram since the 2022 drug ban. Despite decreased seizures, the trade remains profitable with profits concentrated among organized crime. Many farmers face financial hardship, and calls for sustainable alternatives are urgent. UNODC highlights risks of increased reliance on synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
Opium prices in Afghanistan have dramatically increased, rising from $75 per kilogram three years ago to $750 in 2023, following a drug ban by the country’s authorities in 2022, as reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Despite restrictions, Afghanistan remains a vital contributor to the global opium market, competing with Colombia and Myanmar.
While seizures of heroin and opium have decreased by 50% since 2021, UNODC warns that rising prices have not diminished the drug trade’s profitability. Instead, profits are becoming centralized among high-level traders and organized crime networks which continue to control the illicit market.
UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly noted, “Drug trafficking in Afghanistan remains a highly profitable illicit trade. The profits are being channeled to transnational organized crime groups, destabilizing Afghanistan, the region, and beyond.”
As of late 2022, Afghanistan’s opiate stockpiles were estimated at 13,200 tonnes, sufficient to meet global demand until 2027. Before cultivation declines, these stockpiles were valued at between $4.6 billion and $5.9 billion, nearly a quarter of Afghanistan’s economy in 2023.
Despite soaring prices, many Afghan farmers who depended on opium cultivation are financially distressed. UNODC reports that large traders hold about 60% of the stockpiles, while farmers take just 30%. The UN agency warns that, “Most farmers who previously cultivated opium are likely experiencing severe financial hardship,” highlighting the need for sustainable economic alternatives.
As opium supplies decrease, concerns grow that traffickers may shift towards synthetic opioids like fentanyl, presenting significant public health risks. UNODC has called for a coordinated global approach targeting trafficking networks while also investing in alternative livelihoods for Afghan farmers to ensure long-term stability.
The rise in opium prices in Afghanistan post-drug ban underscores the persistence of the illicit drug trade. While prices soar, the financial struggle of farmers remains a pressing issue. Centralization of profits among organized crime exacerbates regional instability, necessitating urgent international intervention to support sustainable economic alternatives for affected Afghan farmers and mitigate potential public health risks from shifting drug trends.
Original Source: daryo.uz
