Afghan opium poppy farming rises despite Taliban ban
The UN says opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has surged even though the Taliban government banned it. Cultivated area had fallen from more than 200,000 hectares after a 2022 crackdown to 10,000 hectares in 2025. The rise shows how hard the ban is to enforce.
ContextContext: Afghanistan is a leading source of opium, the raw material for heroin, and the Taliban banned poppy growing in 2022. Poppy is a major income source for many poor farmers, so bans are hard to enforce without other livelihoods.
Read at The Hindu: International
Burning Potato score: 61%