Myanmar remains top opium-producing region in 2024, UNODC reports

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2024

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has announced that Shan State remains the leading opium-producing region in Myanmar in 2024. 

This finding is part of the “Myanmar Opium Survey 2024 – Cultivation, Production, and Impacts” report released by UNODC.

The report highlights regional disparities in opium cultivation within Myanmar. Shan State accounts for 88% of the country’s total opium cultivation, making it the most prominent region for production. 

While opium cultivation in the northern and eastern parts of Shan State, bordering Laos and Thailand, has slightly decreased, overall cultivation in the state saw a 10% increase.

In Kachin State, opium cultivation dropped by 10%, whereas Chin State, particularly near the Indian border, experienced a significant 18% increase, making it the region with the highest cultivation growth. 

Additionally, Kayah State, despite having relatively low levels of cultivation compared to other regions, saw an 8% rise in opium farming in 2024, according to the UNODC report.

Despite a slight decline in overall opium production in Myanmar in 2024, the country remains a key global source of both raw opium and heroin, the report emphasized.

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