Afghanistan/Pakistan. Migrating Poppy Cultivation: Afghan poppy farmers in Balochistan
Afghanistan/Pakistan. Migrating Poppy Cultivation: Afghan poppy farmers in Balochistan
After the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) banned opium poppy cultivation in April 2022, there was a movement of some farmers from southern Afghanistan into neighbouring regions of Pakistan to grow poppy there. The same migration to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces followed the first Taliban ban on opium in 2000-01. AAN’s Jelena Bjelica, together with Nur Khan Himmat, have been hearing from Afghans currently living in Duki, Kila Saifullah and Kila Abdullah districts of Balochistan about their decision to take their expertise in opium cultivation to Pakistan. In candid conversations, the farmers spoke of dangerous journeys, bribes and spiralling land prices, as well as discovering that the soil in Balochistan was of variable quality and water scarce. They also spoke of their hopes that the harvest in late April would be good and they can send much needed money back to their families in Afghanistan. (AAN – Afghanistan Analysts Network, Kabul, 25.02.2025)
https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/en/reports/economy-development-environment/migrating-poppy-cultivation-afghan-poppy-farmers-in-balochistan/