Stupéfiants, crime et terrorisme
Views of the survey and analysis directorate of the counter Narcotics of the Deputy of Ministry of Interior on the UNODC opium poppy 2025 report
First of all, the Directorate of the Survey and Analysis of Narcotics thanks the esteemed UNODC office for preparing the report on opium poppy cultivation 2025 and sharing it with us and asking our views and comments on the report.
Afghanistan Opium Survey 2025
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan in 2025 decreased by 20 per cent compared to the previous year, according to a new survey from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The sharp contraction, together with market indicators, suggest that opium production and trafficking are undergoing major shifts in the region. The total area under opium poppy cultivation in 2025 was estimated at 10,200 hectares, 20 per cent lower than in 2024 (12,800 hectares) and a fraction of the pre-ban levels recorded in 2022, when an estimated 232,000 hectares were cultivated nationwide. Accordingly, opium production has also declined in 2025, at a rate even greater than that of cultivation, dropping by 32 per cent compared to 2024, to an estimated total of 296 tons. Farmers’ income from opium sales fell by 48 per cent from US$260 million in 2024 to US$134 million in 2025. After the ban, many farmers shifted to growing cereals and other crops. Worsening weather conditions, such as droughts or low rainfall, however, resulted in over 40 per cent of farmland laying barren. Simultaneously, the return of approximately four million Afghans from neighbouring countries, representing by now around 10 per cent of the country’s population, has intensified competition for scarce jobs and resources. All these factors, paired with the reductions in humanitarian aid can possibly make opium poppy cultivation more attractive.
Acknowledgements
This report was prepared by the Research and Trend Analysis Branch, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), supported by the UNODC Information Centre for Researching and Analysing Translational Threats Related to Drugs and Crime.
Why ground information is essential to opium poppy monitoring
Afghanistan’s diverse topography, ranging from the mountainous terrain of Badakhshan to the arid plains of Helmand, creates varying environmental conditions that affect how poppy fields appear in satellite imagery.
Developments in the opiate and methamphetamine markets
An analysis of available drug seizure and price data in and around Afghanistan show clearly that regional opiate markets continue to experience supply disruptions due to declining opium production.
Opium poppy cultivation and opium production in Afghanistan 2025
Starting with the 2023 crop season, the De facto Authorites in Afghanistan enforced a nationwide narcotic ban that forbade production, trafficking and use of any form of drugs.
Worsening humanitarian situations from climate change, water management and migration in rural areas
The 2024-25 season in Afghanistan has inflicted severe hardships on rural communities.
Acknowledgements
Minerals Crime: Crimes in the supply chains of critical energy transition minerals was prepared by the Research and Trend Analysis Branch, Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), under the supervision of Candice Welsch, Director of the Division, and Angela Me, Chief, Research and Trend Analysis Branch, and the coordination of Anja Korenblik, Chief, Geospatial Analysis and Programme Delivery Section, Hatem Fouad Aly Mohamed, Regional Representative, UNODC Office for GCC Region.
Conclusion
The global push for decarbonizing the en-ergy sector, combined with technological advancements in areas such as defence, aerospace and digital infrastructure, has exponentially increased the demand for certain minerals (CETM), making CETM mining a vital economic and strategic activity.
Law enforcement challenges and responses
Law enforcement plays an essential role in tackling minerals crime, serving on the front line of efforts to disrupt criminal activities, enforce environmen-tal and labour regulations, and protect communities from violence, exploitation and environmental harm.
Overview of criminal activities in CETM supply chains
Criminal activities in CETM supply chains are difficult to categorize and current knowledge remains limited. This is due to several factors: the complexity and diversity of supply chains, the physical and geographical differences among minerals, the relatively recent develop-ment of many mining projects, and the limited international attention to the role of crime in responsible mining discourse.