Poppy cultivation — another challenge for law enforcement authorities

Bhubaneswar: In the wake of the massive hashish oil haul in Koraput forests, another growing problem has come to fore for drug law enforcement authorities in Odisha — illegal opium poppy cultivation. In recent months, police have unearthed vast stretches of illegal farming over several acres in Mayurbhanj, Angul, Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts.

In India, opium is legally allowed to cultivate only on notified tracts by licensed farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh for medicinal purposes.




Unlike ganja and brown sugar, opium is not widely consumed in Odisha. Yet seizures in recent years point to a growing problem: 11.86kg of opium and 1,024kg of poppy husk/straw were seized in 2022, 10.35kg of opium in 2023, and 13kg of opium, along with 140kg of husk, in 2024.

Police said the trend of illegal cultivation began in 2023-24. Vast stretches of poppy plants discovered inside the core area of Similipal Tiger Reserve recently raised alarm among enforcement agencies, including police, excise, forest officials and Narcotics Control Bureau.

Enforcement authorities suspect cultivation in Similipal may have been continuing for at least two years, possibly with the involvement of traffickers from neighbouring Jharkhand.

Poppy is typically sown in Nov and harvested between March and April. Police authorities say their immediate focus is to identify the kingpins and promoters who lure villagers into cultivating the crop on forest land.

“We are aware of the illegal cultivation in Mayurbhanj, Rourkela, Keonjhar and Angul. We destroyed plants worth around Rs 5 crore in Angul this month, and crops worth Rs 7 crore grown on two acres in Keonjhar last month. Field officials have been asked to reactivate their intelligence networks,” a senior police officer said.

Opium, a dry latex extracted from the seed capsules of poppy plants, is legally grown under the supervision of Central Bureau of Narcotics as per the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The govt purchases opium from licenced farmers at about Rs 2,000 per kg, while traffickers sell it in the black market for nearly Rs 1 lakh per kg.

Opium is used for producing morphine, a powerful analgesic.

Meanwhile, it is the base product used in making heroin and brown sugar, processed with chemicals such as acetic anhydride and calcium hydroxide.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Women's day wishes, messages and quotes !