Afghan poppy cultivation reportedly quadruples in 2026 despite Taliban ban

Reuters reports that a UN satellite-based estimate puts Afghan poppy cultivation at 43,300 hectares in 2026, more than four times its 2025 level. AFP reports that estimated opium production also rose fivefold. Farmers describe poor returns from legal crops, but the Taliban contests the UN acreage estimate. Despite the rebound, Reuters puts cultivation at roughly a quarter of its 2021 level.