Afghanistan’s opium prices have increased tenfold since a 2022 drug ban, reaching $750 per kilogram. Despite reduced seizures, the drug trade remains profitable for high-level traders. About 60% of opium stockpiles are held by these traders, resulting in financial distress for farmers. There are concerns about a potential shift towards synthetic opioids like fentanyl. UNODC urges international cooperation for sustainable solutions.
Opium prices in Afghanistan have significantly increased, experiencing a tenfold rise following the enforcement of a drug ban by the country’s authorities in 2022. As reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the price for a kilogram of opium escalated from $75 three years ago to $750 in 2023. This growth in pricing continues to place Afghanistan as a prominent player in the global opium market, alongside countries such as Colombia and Myanmar.
Despite a 50% decrease in the weight of heroin and opium seizures since 2021, UNODC cautions that this price surge has not disrupted the drug trade. Instead, profits have become increasingly concentrated among high-level traders and organized crime syndicates that persist in controlling the illicit market. UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly remarked, “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.”
At the close of 2022, Afghanistan had an estimated opiate stockpile of 13,200 tonnes, sufficient to meet global demand until 2027. Prior to reductions in cultivation, this stockpile was valued between $4.6 billion and $5.9 billion, constituting almost a quarter of Afghanistan’s economy in 2023. However, many Afghan farmers, previously dependent on opium cultivation for income, now face financial struggles.
UNODC estimates that approximately 60% of the remaining opium stockpiles are held by large traders and exporters, while farmers control only 30%. The agency warned, “Most farmers who previously cultivated opium are likely experiencing severe financial hardship,” stressing the urgent requirement for sustainable economic alternatives to dissuade a return to poppy cultivation.
As opium supply diminishes, there are increasing fears that traffickers may shift focus to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, which present an even more significant public health threat. UNODC advocates for an organized international response that targets trafficking networks while promoting alternative livelihoods for Afghan farmers to secure long-term stability.
In conclusion, Afghanistan’s opium prices have surged dramatically since the drug ban, reflecting a complex dynamic in the global drug trade. The concentration of profits within organized crime has not benefited local farmers, who face severe financial difficulties. Addressing this issue necessitates coordinated international efforts to combat trafficking and establish viable economic alternatives for Afghan farmers.
Original Source: daryo.uz
