UNODC’s Myanmar Opium Survey 2025 reveals that opium poppy cultivation has surged to a decade-high, driven by conflict, economic hardship, and shifting global drug supply dynamics

The 2025 Myanmar Opium Survey 2025 finds that poppy cultivation increased by 17% year-on-year — from 45,200 to 53,100 hectares — marking the largest area under cultivation since 2015. Although yield per hectare fell due to instability, overall production edged up to about 1,010 metric tons, underscoring Myanmar’s continued status as the world’s primary source of illicit opium and raising serious concerns over renewed heroin supply to global markets…