Opium poppy cultivation in Myanmar has risen to its highest level in a decade, increasing by 17% as the ongoing civil war drives farmers towards illicit crops for survival. The UN reports that the sharpest rises were in Shan and Chin states, areas heavily impacted by fighting between the military junta and armed resistance groups. The surge highlights how the protracted conflict is fueling a narcotics economy in the absence of stability.
Date: December 3, 2025. Source: theguardian.com