Opium prices in Afghanistan have soared to near historic highs, primarily benefiting large-scale traffickers and organized crime networks, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported on Wednesday.
The price of opium surged to $750 per kilogram in 2024, a tenfold increase from $75 per kilogram in 2022, before Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government imposed a drug ban, according to the report.
Decline in Trafficking, but Profits Remain High
The UNODC noted that while the ban led to reduced opium production and a 50% decline in heroin and opium seizures since 2021, the soaring price per kilogram ensures that drug traffickers continue to make massive profits.
Despite the lower trade volumes, Afghanistan’s opium stockpiles totaled an estimated 13,200 tons at the end of 2022, enough to meet global demand for Afghan opiates until 2027, the report found.
“The surge in opium prices and substantial stockpiles mean that drug trafficking in Afghanistan remains a highly profitable illicit trade,” said Ghada Waly, UNODC’s Executive Director. “The profits are being funneled into transnational organized crime groups, destabilizing Afghanistan, the region, and beyond.”
She called for a coordinated counternarcotics strategy targeting trafficking networks while also investing in sustainable economic alternatives for Afghan farmers.
The UNODC estimated that before the drop in cultivation, Afghanistan’s opium stockpiles were worth between $4.6 billion and $5.9 billion, roughly 23-29% of the country’s GDP in 2023.
While these stockpiles may have helped offset some of Afghanistan’s economic challenges since the Taliban’s return to power, the majority—60%—are held by large traders and exporters, according to the report.
“Only 30% of farmers had small or modest stockpiles in 2022, meaning most former opium cultivators are now facing severe financial hardship,” the report stated.
The UNODC warned that without sustainable economic alternatives, farmers may return to poppy cultivation, especially given currently high opium prices.
The continued shortage of Afghan opium could drive buyers and sellers toward synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which are potentially even more harmful than heroin, the report warned.
The UNODC urged international efforts to combat drug trafficking while also providing Afghan farmers with viable economic opportunities to ensure long-term stability.
