Poppy growing area declined by over nine per cent and the poppy production, by over five per cent nationwide, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In 2017, the poppy growing area was 41,000 hectares and the poppy production, 550 metric tons. In 2018, Myanmar had 37,300 hectares of poppy growing area and 520 metric tons of poppy production. The poppy growing area declined by 9.1 per cent and the poppy production, by 5.45 per cent.
Since 2014, Myanmar’s poppy growing area has declined. The poppy growing areas in Shan and Kachin States declined from 41,000 hectares in 2017 to 37,300 hectares in 2018.
Chin and Kayah States had around 1,200 hectares of poppy growing areas. The country sees a significant decline in the poppy growing areas in almost all poppy growing regions. The poppy growing declined seven per cent in northern Shan State, eight per cent in eastern Shan State, 17 per cent in southern Shan State and 15 per cent in Kachin State.
At a ceremony to mark the 23rd International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in late June, narcotic drugs worth over 108 million US dollars were destroyed in Yangon. Drug addiction treatment centers are opened nationwide.
