Govt Unveils 2025-26 Opium Poppy Licensing for 1.21 Lakh Farmers

The Union Government, on Friday, announced the annual licensing policy for crop year 2025-26 during the Opium Crop Year from 1st October, 2025 to 30th September, 2026, of licenses for cultivation of opium poppy, for the farmers in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

- TBG NETWORK

The "Opium Crop Year" is the annual period during which licensed farmers are permitted to cultivate opium poppies. The controlled production of opium is crucial for obtaining its alkaloids, which are essential for producing a wide range of legal pharmaceutical drugs.

As per the general conditions enshrined in the policy, nearly 1.21 lakh farmers are estimated to be eligible for the grant of licenses for opium cultivation in these states. This represents a 23.5 per cent increase over the number of licenses actually issued in the previous crop year. The policy thus brings approximately 15,000 additional farmers into the fold, who are expected to benefit from opium cultivation this year.