Myanmar Surpasses Afghanistan as World's Leading Opium Producer: UN
TL;DR
Myanmar has surpassed Afghanistan as the world's largest producer of opium, according to a United Nations report. The Taliban's ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan led to a 95% decrease in opium production, potentially causing global shortages of opiates. Myanmar's opium trade has expanded for the third consecutive year, with production increasing by 36% in 2023. The country's deepening economic crisis and ongoing civil war have contributed to the rise in opium cultivation. Ethnic armed organizations and militia groups control drug-producing territories, while the production of synthetic drugs has also surged in the region.
- Myanmar overtakes Afghanistan to become world’s leading opium producer, UN says CNN
- Myanmar overtakes Afghanistan as world’s top opium producer: UN Al Jazeera English
- Myanmar Dethrones Afghanistan As World's Top Opium Producer Forbes
- Myanmar overtakes Afghanistan as world's largest producer of opium The Telegraph
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