UN report says Opium production in Afghanistan halved

The sharp drop is largely due to a plant infection, which drastically cut down yields, the UN office on drugs and crime (UNODC) said. However, the report warns that production will increase again as rising prices are tempting farmers to cultivate more opium poppies.

Afghanistan produces 90% of the world's opium, the main in heroin.

With opium prices rising again after years of steady decline, the UNODC has warned that production is unlikely to stay low.

"This is good news but there is no room for false optimism; the market may again become lucrative for poppy-crop growers so we have to monitor the situation closely," executive director of UNODC Yury Fedotov said.

Fedotov said the total area of the country used for poppy cultivation remains unchanged despite government eradication programmes, and called for a comprehensive strategy to counter the opium threat.

"These regions are dominated by insurgency and organised crime networks," Fedotov said. "This underscores the link between opium poppy cultivation and insecurity in Afghanistan."

The report showed that after a steady five-year decline from 2005, prices were rising again - with the price of opium up 164% from $64 (€46) per kg in 2009 to $169 (€124) per kg this year.