Afghanistan’s opium cultivation fell sharply this year, yet the United Nations has warned that the country’s illicit economy is increasingly shifting towards synthetic drugs, The Khaama Press News Agency, reports.

According to a report released on November 6 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), opium poppy cultivation declined by 20% in 2025 compared with the previous year, reflecting the continuing impact of the Taliban’s nationwide ban. The total area under cultivation fell to around 10,200 hectares, down from 12,800 hectares in 2024 and a fraction of the 232,000 hectares recorded in 2022 before the prohibition came into effect the report added.

Production fell even faster, dropping by nearly a third to an estimated 296 tonnes. The downturn has had a pronounced effect on farmers’ incomes, which plunged from about $260mn to $134mn as many switched to wheat and other legal crops. However, poor rainfall and persistent drought left more than 40% of farmland unplanted, deepening hardship across rural regions.

UNODC regional representative Oliver Stolpe said Afghanistan’s long-term recovery “depends on sustained international investment and viable economic alternatives”, urging equal attention to farmer livelihoods, demand reduction and the dismantling of trafficking networks.

The return of nearly 4mn Afghans from neighbouring countries has further strained already limited resources and employment opportunities, while cuts in humanitarian aid risk pushing vulnerable communities back into opium cultivation.

Although the price of dry opium dropped by 27% to about $570 per kilogram, it remains roughly five times higher than before the 2022 ban, keeping the trade lucrative for some growers.

At the same time, UNODC noted a rapid expansion of methamphetamine production, with seizures rising by around 50% by the end of 2024. The agency said criminal networks are increasingly turning to synthetic narcotics because of lower production costs, easier concealment and reduced vulnerability to environmental shocks.