The Taliban have begun enforcing a ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. This is a significant turnaround from April, when the Taliban told us, that despite their official ban, they weren't enforcing it.
Farmers are suffering, Afghanistan is facing a drought and a worsening economic situation -- and poppy cultivation pays.
Upwards of 300 dollars a month for those harvesting opium from poppies. Opium also generates significant income for the Taliban and Afghanistan. Nearly 3 Billion dollars in 2021, which is between 6 per cent to 11 per cent of the country's GDP. But all this also contributes to the world's drugs trade. And pressure is high to curb it.
