Myanmar to grow coffee instead of poppy to fight drug trafficking, according to the Agriculture Ministry

Published Sep 6, 2024

Tridge summary

Myanmar is planning to replace opium poppy cultivation, following Afghanistan's ban on the drug, with the cultivation of coffee and natural rubber to combat drug trafficking and boost its economy, as reported by the Director General of the Planning Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, Kyaw Swe Lin. This announcement was made at the Eastern Economic Forum, where Myanmar is also discussing international cooperation against drug trafficking with partners like Russia. The forum, held from September 3 to 6 in Vladivostok, is organized by the Roscongress Foundation and focuses on various thematic blocks related to business and international relations.

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Original content

Myanmar intends to grow coffee and natural rubber instead of opium poppy to combat drug trafficking, Director General of the Planning Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Kyaw Swe Lin told TASS. "Our country borders several states. It is in this mountainous area, which is controlled by certain ethnic groups, that poppy is mainly grown. It is difficult for the state to control this. However, we have developed a program and intend to replace poppy with natural rubber, coffee and other agricultural crops that will be of great benefit to our economy," he said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum. Kyaw Swe Lin also noted that Myanmar is closely cooperating with international partners, including Russia, to combat drug trafficking. In December 2023, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that Myanmar had become the world's largest opium poppy producer after Afghanistan banned the cultivation of the drug in 2022. About the ...

Source: Kvedomosti