Myanmar becomes top opium producer

Myanmar has become the world’s top producer of opium, overtaking Afghanistan in 2023, according to a United Nations report

MYANMAR Opium production in 2023 estimated at 1,080 tonnes (highest since 2001)

AFGHANISTAN 330 tonnes
 
MYANMAR OPIUM PRODUCTION AND YIELDS
 1,000 Production (tonnes)
 900 Yield (kg of opium 800 per hectare of poppy)
 700
 600
 500
 400
 300
 200
 100

0 2002 04 06 08 10 12 14 16* 18 20 22

0 5 10 15 20 25

*No survey conducted in 2016


2023
Production increase of 36% compared to 2022. Yield expands by 16% to 22.9kg per hectare

Sources: BBC, UNODC Picture: UNODC © GRAPHIC NEWS