On Friday, September 12, while announcing the annual opium cultivation policy, the finance ministry said that the govt. will issue more licenses for opium cultivation in the crop year 2025-26. The opium cultivation policy is for farmers from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
However, earlier, the Union Government announced the annual licensing policy for the crop year 2025-26 during the Opium Crop Year from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, of licenses for opium cultivation for the farmers in the three states.
According to the statement by the finance ministry, it will issue 121,000 licenses in the opium crop year beginning October 1, up 23% from the last year. More than 1,00,00 lakh farmers are eligible to receive licenses, with the inclusion of 15,000 additional farmers in these three states.
About the Opium Cultivation Policy
The Opium cultivation policy intends to make India self-reliant in alkaloid Production, which is utilised for manufacturing narcotic drugs. Not only this, but the policy specifies that the license will be suspended for those farmers who didn’t fulfil the minimum qualifying production of 800 Kg/ hec last year. Opium cultivators with high morphine production can retain their licenses, on the other hand, those with lower production can go for the concentrate of poppy straw method. Additionally, the statement cited that the alkaloid factory at Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh attained WHO manufacturing practice (GMP) certification, considering the government’s efforts to upgrade facilities.
Notably, the central government continues to ensure an adequate supply of alkaloids to meet medical and palliative care needs.