In the remote poppy fields of Myanmar’s Pekon township, displaced farmer Aung Hla is scraping opium resin off seedpods as he describes how the narcotic crop has become his only hope for survival in a country torn apart by conflict. Once a rice farmer, Aung Hla was forced off his land by the military junta that seized power in a coup in 2021, adding to the ongoing civil conflict between the military and ethnic armed groups.
Now, four years later, Myanmar is facing what the United Nations has described as a “polycrisis” of conflict, poverty, and environmental degradation. Aung Hla, like many others in his situation, turned to growing poppy as a means of making a living after being displaced from his village.
Despite the common misconception that poppy farmers are motivated by the desire to get rich, Aung Hla insists that they are simply trying to survive. The income from growing poppy, the main ingredient in heroin, is the only thing keeping him from starvation in a country where opportunities for livelihood are scarce.
Myanmar’s opium production, once second only to Afghanistan, has now surpassed it to become the world’s largest producer of opium, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The opiate economy in Myanmar is estimated to be worth between $589 million and $1.57 billion, including both domestic consumption and exports.
In Pekon, dozens of workers labor in the fields from September to February, extracting resin from poppy seedpods. Aung Naing, a former reformed opium farmer, was forced back into growing poppy due to wartime hardships. He explains that most farmers who cultivate poppy are displaced residents who have fled their villages and are now working in the fields.
Despite the slightly higher profits from growing poppy compared to other crops, such as corn and potatoes, Aung Naing emphasizes that the costs and risks involved in producing opium make it a challenging and unsustainable livelihood. The ongoing conflict in Myanmar has exacerbated the situation, with armed groups vying for control of local resources and the lucrative drug trade.
While opium cultivation in Myanmar has decreased slightly in recent years, ongoing clashes between armed groups continue to pose a threat to farmers like Aung Hla and Aung Naing. Both farmers express a desire for peace and more job opportunities in the region, so they wouldn’t have to resort to growing poppy for survival.
In the midst of uncertainty and instability, farmers like Aung Hla and Aung Naing continue to work in the fields, hoping for a better future for themselves and their families. As they navigate the challenges of conflict and poverty, their resilience and determination shine through, highlighting the harsh realities faced by those caught in the midst of Myanmar’s complex and devastating crisis.
