What country produces the most opium
Executive summary
Myanmar is now reported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to be the world’s largest opium producer, overtaking Afghanistan after a sharp fall in Afghan cultivation following the Taliban ban and a rise in Myanmar’s output linked to conflict and economic collapse [1] [2]. Historical data show Afghanistan dominated global illicit opium production for two decades before this shift, but illicit cultivation is inherently hard to measure and estimates vary by year and methodology [3] [4].
1. How the crown changed hands: UN data and the 2023 snapshot
UNODC’s regional surveys for 2022–23 show Myanmar’s opium production climbing to levels not seen in more than 20 years while Afghanistan’s potential production collapsed after the Taliban banned poppy cultivation, reducing Afghan cultivation by roughly 95 percent and pushing Afghanistan’s estimated output far below Myanmar’s in 2023 [1] [5]. Major news outlets citing the UNODC reported Myanmar’s opium output rising to about 1,080 tonnes compared with roughly 330 tonnes for Afghanistan in the same assessment, making Myanmar the largest producer in that reporting period [6] [7].
2. Why Myanmar rose: conflict, economics and improved yields
Analysts and the UNODC link Myanmar’s resurgence to the economic and political turmoil after the 2021 coup, where conflict, poverty, and weak state control in border regions incentivized farmers to plant poppy, and more intensive farming practices — including irrigation and fertilizers — boosted yields per hectare [2] [1]. The Golden Triangle’s long history as a narcotics hub, combined with expanding organized criminal networks and investment in cultivation techniques, helped drive Myanmar’s estimated production increases [8] [6].
3. Why Afghanistan fell — policy, enforcement and practical limits
Afghanistan’s drop was driven primarily by the Taliban’s 2022/2023 ban on poppy cultivation, which the UNODC estimated reduced potential Afghan opium output by about 95 percent between 2022 and 2023; the move sharply cut the land under poppy cultivation even though questions remain about stockpiles, displacement of production, and enforcement consistency [5] [2]. Historically Afghanistan supplied well over half — and at times more than 90% — of global illicit opium for heroin production, a dominance built over decades that the recent ban abruptly disrupted [3] [9].
4. Measurement caveats: what “produces the most” really means
All figures rest on imperfect surveys, satellite imagery, field reporting, and extrapolation; illicit economies are opaque and year-to-year swings can be dramatic, so “most” refers to UNODC’s best-available estimates for the survey year rather than an absolute immutable ranking [5] [4]. Different sources and timeframes show different leaders — older data put Afghanistan firmly on top [4] [3] — and clandestine stockpiles, cross-border displacement, or rapid policy shifts can change rankings quickly [9].
5. Political incentives and hidden agendas shaping the narrative
Reports from UN agencies and international media are driven by data but also by policy and political contexts: the Taliban’s ban can be framed internationally as a positive counter-narcotics step while simultaneously serving domestic control objectives, and governments or insurgent actors may misreport or manipulate enforcement claims for political gain [2] [1]. Myanmar’s rise is emphasized by observers who want to highlight instability following the coup, which aligns media and UN warnings about the humanitarian and security impacts of a growing illicit economy [8] [6].
6. Bottom line and limits of the record
Based on the UNODC data cited by major outlets in late 2023 and summarized by follow-up UN reporting, Myanmar was the world’s top opium producer in the 2022–23 assessment window, surpassing Afghanistan after a precipitous Afghan decline tied to a poppy ban; however, these rankings are contingent on the UN’s estimation methods and the fluid political and production realities in both countries [1] [5]. Reporting limitations mean that while Myanmar held the top spot in the referenced UN survey, the illicit and changeable nature of opium markets requires ongoing monitoring to confirm whether that remains true in subsequent years [2] [4].