A serious disease is affecting opium poppies in Afghanistan, Antonio Maria Costa, the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has said.
Mr Costa told the BBC that this year’s opium production could be reduced by a quarter, compared with last year.
He said the disease – a fungus – is thought to have infected about half of the country’s poppy crop. Afghanistan produces 92% of the world’s opium.
Mr Costa said opium prices had gone up by around 50% in the region.
Full story: BBC News – Fungus hits Afghan opium poppies
