Afghanistan: Poppy Plantations in Afghanistan Flourishing amid Western Sanctions and Economic Collapse [Video]

Nov 14, 2021 | Carol Mang, South China Morning Post
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After its return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban promised to crack down on poppy plantations and the drug trade. But Western sanctions imposed on the country have brought the Afghan economy on the brink of collapse, with many Afghans once again turning to the profitable poppy trade. As the world’s largest opium producer, Afghanistan is estimated to export up to US$3 billion worth of opium annually, contributing 11.5 per cent of the country’s GDP.