
Opium production in Myanmar surges to nine-year high
The production of opium increased sharply in Myanmar after falling for seven years, according to the UN. It touched nearly 795 metric tonnes in 2022, nearly double the production in 2021 – 423 metric tonnes – the year of the military coup. The UN believes this is driven by economic hardship and insecurity, along with higher global prices for the opium resin that is used to make heroin. The coup plunged much of Myanmar into a bloody civil war that still continues. “Economic, security and governance disruptions that followed the military takeover of February 2021 have converged, and farmers in … Continue reading Opium production in Myanmar surges to nine-year high