Talking Drugs, 24 July 2025
In this article on the UK-based online platform dedicated to reporting on the world of drugs, AAN’s Jelena Bjelica is quoted:
The Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), an independent research organisation focused on Afghan political and social affairs, published a report containing interviews with three Afghan poppy farmers who moved to Pakistan to continue cultivating opium. There, they confirmed they moved across the border with both their crops and workforce to continue their past work.
Speaking with Jelena Bjelica, the author of the AAN’s report, she highlighted the farmer’s motivations to move their operations to Pakistan.
“It’s a financial opportunity,” Bjelica told TalkingDrugs.
“There are not any other viable agricultural opportunities for the farmers. These farmers have become experts in opium cultivation… they know the crop, they know what it needs and how to get the best out of it.”
When farmers have developed an expertise in cultivating such a valuable crop, it shouldn’t be a surprise they moved their work to where it can continue, putting their skills to good use.
Bjelica did add, however, that it’s still unclear how much of the opium workforce has migrated to Pakistan.
“We have no idea what the scale of the problem is, my impression is that this is not en masse migration… I would say it’s patchy,” Bjelica added.
Revisions:
This article was last updated on 31 Jul 2025
