April 20 Afghanistan Opium Price Monitoring Monthly Report Ministry of Counter Narcotics, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Kabul And United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Kabul 1
MCN / UNODC Afghanistan Opium Price Monitoring April 20 Summary Opium prices are collected from 15 of 34 provinces. The prices are collected for dry and fresh opium from traders (Trader prices) and farmers (farm gate prices). Heroin and cannabis resin prices are also collected from Afghanistan and Peshawar, the nearest town in Pakistan. Dry opium prices o Average dry opium price at farm gate level is USD 74/kg compared to USD 98kg in April 20. This is the lowest price observed since September 2004. o Average dry opium price collected from traders is USD 79/kg compared to USD 1/kg in April 20. This is the lowest price observed since September 2004. o Farm gate dry opium prices are showing decreasing trend since year 2004. o Since June 2007, prices in the Western and Eastern Regions are constantly higher than the prices in other regions. Increase in prices in the Eastern and Western Regions can be attributed to their strategic positions in trafficking bordering Iran and Pakistan. Prices in Southern and Northern region are consistently lower than other regions since last few months. Lower prices in Southern region can be explained by availability fresh opium and opium stocks with the farmers and drug dealers as a result of bumper opium production in 2007 and 20. There is little opium produced in the north region in 20. Fresh opium prices o Average fresh opium price at farm gate level is USD 54/kg compared to USD 78/kg in April 20. o Average fresh opium price collected from traders is USD 64/kg compared to USD 87/kg in April 20. o Fresh opium prices at farm gate level and collected from traders were well above USD 100/kg till early 2007. Later prices decreased drastically. o Fresh opium prices at farm gate and trader level were well above USD 100/kg till early 2007. Later prices decreased drastically. Price at farm gate level and price collected from traders in April 20 are the lowest price ever recorded since UNODC started monitoring opium prices. Heroin and cannabis resin prices in Afghanistan o Average heroin price in Afghanistan is USD 2,150/kg compared to USD 2,438/kg in April 20. o Average cannabis resin price in Afghanistan is USD 49/kg compared to USD 63/kg in April 20. Heroin and Cannabis resin prices in Peshawar, Pakistan o Average heroin price in Pakistan is USD 3,158/kg compared to USD 3,254/kg in April 20. o Average cannabis resin price in Pakistan is USD 248/kg compared to USD 403/kg in March 20. 2
DRY OPIUM: FARM GATE PRICE: At the end of April 20, the national average price for one kilogram of dry opium in Afghanistan at the farm gate level was USD 74/kg with 6% decrease compared to price reported in March 20. This is the lowest price observed since September 2004. The average dry opium price is 24% less than the price reported in April 20 which was 98 USD/kg. The average dry opium price is showing a decreasing trend since January 20. Graph 1: Weighted average price of dry opium from September 2004 to April 20 250 FARM GATE DRY OPIUM PRICE 222 200 180 187 Price in (USD/Kg) 150 100 154 170 161 147 139 123 137 167 171 161 152 145 150 149 159 145 134 141 140 140 141 139 136 133 125 128 127 121 113 114 115 105 100 101 105 1 106 105 103 98 91 90 74 91 85 85 88 88 83 86 82 82 79 50 0 Sep-04 Oct-04 Nov-04 Dec-04 Jan-05 Feb-05 Mar-05 05 May-05 Jun-05 Jul-05 Aug-05 Sep-05 Oct-05 Nov-05 Dec-05 Jan-06 Feb-06 Mar-06 06 May-06 Jun-06 Jul-06 Aug-06 Sep-06 Oct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 07 May-07 Jun-07 Jul-07 Aug-07 Sep-07 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan- Feb- Mar- May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- Month Average lowest opium prices were $123/kg and $125 in 2005 and 2006 respectively; however lowest price of opium in 2007 was $91/kg and $82/kg in 20. This shows rapid drop of opium prices in 2007 and 20 compared to previous years. The highest opium prices were $171/kg and $158/kg in 2005 and 2006 respectively; however the highest price of opium was $128/kg in 2007 and $106/kg in 20. In general, prices were much higher prior to 2005. This shows the decreasing trend of opium prices. 3
TRADER PRICE: At the end of April 20, the national average dry opium price collected from traders was USD 79/kg with 8% decrease compared to price reported in last month. Dry opium price collected from traders has decreased in Eastern and Western regions by 9%, Southern region by 8%, North-eastern region by 5% and Northern region by 4%. Table 1: Regional Average Price of dry opium collected from traders (USD/Kg) Price of Dry Opium (USD/Kg) Region Mar- Change Eastern region (Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar) 101 92-9% Southern region (Hilmand, Kandahar) 75 69-8% Western region (Badghis, Farah, Ghor, Hirat, Nimroz) 92 84-9% North-eastern region (Badakhshan, Takhar) 85 81-5% Northern region (Balkh, Faryab, Kunduz) 76 73-4% Average 86 79-8% Graph 2: Regional weighted average price of dry opium collected from traders January 2005 April 20 DRY OPIUM PRICE 350 300 Price in (USD/Kg) 250 200 150 100 50 0 Jan-05 Feb-05 Mar-05 05 May-05 Jun-05 Jul-05 Aug-05 Sep-05 Oct-05 Nov-05 Dec-05 Jan-06 Feb-06 Mar-06 06 May-06 Jun-06 Jul-06 Aug-06 Sep-06 Oct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 07 May-07 Jun-07 Jul-07 Aug-07 Sep-07 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan- Feb- Mar- May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- Month Eastern Southern Western North-eastern Northern 4
Since June 2007, prices in the Western and Eastern Regions are constantly higher than the prices in other regions. Increase in prices in the Western and Eastern regions can be attributed to their strategic positions in trafficking bordering Iran and Pakistan respectively. Prices in Southern and Northern region are consistently lower than other regions since last few months. Lower prices in Southern region can be explained by availability of opium stocks with the farmers and drug dealers as a result of bumper opium production in 2007 and 20. There is little opium produced in the north and north-eastern regions in 20. The main reasons behind decrease in opium prices are low demand for opium and increase in law enforcement activities in the regions. In southern region, availability of fresh opium is another factor for the decrease as lancing has started since last 2-3 weeks. This trend of converging opium prices across regions within Afghanistan could be an indication of greater integration among the local markets. This warrants further studies. Table 2: Dry opium price change between March 20 and April 20 Price of Dry Opium (USD/Kg) March April Province 20 20 Change Badakhshan 89 81-9% Balkh 76 73-4% Badghis 73 62-15% Farah 95 81-15% Faryab 85 83-2% Ghor 72 62-15% Hilmand 77 70-9% Hirat 105 101-4% Kandahar 72 68-6% Kunar 104 90-14% Kunduz 66 64-3% Laghman 96 88-8% Nangarhar 102 95-7% Nimroz 101 101 0% Takhar 81 81 0% Table 3: Dry Opium Price of Afghanistan dry opium in Pakistan (USD/Kg): May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- 279 270 205 168 197 166 102 153 202 214 188 136 142 Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- FRESH OPIUM: At the end of April 20, the national average price of fresh opium was USD 54/kg at farm gate level with 5% decrease and USD 60/kg at trader level with 6% decrease compared to the prices reported last month. Fresh opium prices at farm gate and trader level were well above USD 100/kg till early 2007. Later prices decreased drastically. Price at farm gate level and price collected from traders in April 20 are the lowest price ever recorded Since UNODC started monitoring opium prices. After the harvest season there is no fresh opium available, but farmers keep their fresh opium in plastic bags or dishes covered with leaves in order to preserve moisture. This opium is referred as fresh opium. 5
HEROIN PRICES: UNODC regional offices in Afghanistan and Pakistan reported below prices for Heroin (prices of best quality considered). Table 4: Heroin Price in Afghanistan and Pakistan (USD/Kg) Afghanistan May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- Badakhshan 2194 2211 2493 2494 2499 2507 2507 2407 2417 2398 2383 2383 2383 Balkh 3400 3200 3300 3300 3000 3100 3000 2900 2900 3000 3200 3000 2900 Hirat 2214 2227 2102 2049 28 23 1900 1868 1826 1867 1735 1602 1364 Nangarhar 2324 1799 2126 1970 1839 1920 1984 1875 1891 1891 1902 1817 1858 Kandahar 2500 2420 2425 2420 2420 2480 2370 2290 2320 2330 2335 2320 2300 Takhar 1994 2010 2193 2194 2194 2288 2288 2197 2206 2110 27 27 27 Average 2438 2311 2440 2405 2340 2398 2342 2256 2260 2266 2275 2203 2150 May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- Pakistan Peshawer 3254 3297 3299 3144 3283 2559 2559 2542 2774 3152 3378 3101 3158 CANNABIS RESIN PRICES: UNODC regional offices in Afghanistan and Pakistan reported below prices for cannabis resin (prices of best quality considered). Table 5: Cannabis resin price in Afghanistan and Pakistan (USD/Kg) Afghanistan May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- Badakhshan 91 83 73 73 73 66 60 57 58 67 67 65 65 Balkh 90 86 90 90 69 80 70 63 58 67 71 67 67 Hirat 66 70 70 72 75 76 65 65 61 62 51 50 61 Nangarhar 40 39 29 21 26 26 26 31 25 38 27 27 35 Kandahar 20 18 18 18 22 24 23 26 27 28 28 27 22 Takhar 68 64 64 64 63 64 58 55 56 44 44 44 44 Average 63 60 57 56 55 56 50 50 48 51 48 47 49 May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- Pakistan Peshawer 403 270 264 168 184 192 179 203 214 240 238 223 248 6
Graph 3: 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Average price of dry opium in Nangarhar and Kandahar provinces collected from traders (USD/kg), March 1997 - April 20 700 640 424 254 116 31 7 US$/kg Jan-97 Feb-97 Mar-97 97 May-97 Jun-97 Jul-97 Aug-97 Sep-97 Oct-97 Nov-97 Dec-97 Jan-98 Feb-98 Mar-98 98 May-98 Jun-98 Jul-98 Aug-98 Sep-98 Oct-98 Nov-98 Dec-98 Jan-99 Feb-99 Mar-99 99 May-99 Jun-99 Jul-99 Aug-99 Sep-99 Oct-99 Nov-99 Dec-99 Jan-00 Feb-00 Mar-00 00 May-00 Jun-00 Jul-00 Aug-00 Sep-00 Oct-00 Nov-00 Dec-00 Jan-01 Feb-01 Mar-01 01 May-01 Jun-01 Jul-01 Aug-01 Sep-01 Oct-01 Nov-01 Dec-01 Jan-02 Feb-02 Mar-02 02 May-02 Jun-02 Jul-02 Aug-02 Sep-02 Oct-02 Nov-02 Dec-02 Jan-03 Feb-03 Mar-03 03 May-03 Jun-03 Jul-03 Aug-03 Sep-03 Oct-03 Nov-03 Dec-03 Jan-04 Feb-04 Mar-04 04 May-04 Jun-04 Jul-04 Aug-04 Sep-04 Oct-04 Nov-04 Dec-04 Jan-05 Feb-05 Mar-05 05 May-05 Jun-05 Jul-05 Aug-05 Sep-05 Oct-05 Nov-05 Dec-05 Jan-06 Feb-06 Mar-06 06 May-06 Jun-06 Jul-06 Aug-06 Sep-06 Oct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 07 May-07 Jun-07 Jul-07 Aug-07 Sep-07 Oct-07 Nov-07 Dec-07 Jan- Feb- Mar- May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- Nangarhar (eastern Afghanistan) Kandahar (southern Afghanistan) unweighted average
Afghanistan: Average Dry Opium Price (April 20) CHINA UZBEKISTAN TAJIKISTAN TURKMENISTAN JAWZJAN BALKH Trader: 73 Farmer:68 KUNDUZ Trader: 64 Farmer:0 TAKHAR Trader: 81 Farmer:76 BADAKHSHAN Trader: 81 Farmer:80 FARYAB Trader: 83 Farmer:76 SARI PUL SAMANGAN BAGHLAN HIRAT Trader: 101 Farmer:84 BADGHIS Trader: 62 Farmer:54 GHOR Trader: 62 Farmer:53 DAY KUNDI BAMYAN GHAZNI PANJSHIR NURISTAN KAPISA KUNAR PARWAN LAGHMAN Trader: 90 Farmer:88 Trader: 88 Farmer:83 KABUL WARDAK NANGARHAR Trader: 95 Farmer:94 LOGAR PAKTYA KHOST Legend Price not collected Price collected INDIA Trader: Trader dry opium price in USD/kg Farmer : Farmer dry opium price in USD/kg FARAH Trader: 81 Farmer:69 URUZGAN ZABUL PAKTIKA International boundary Provincial boundary IRAN NIMROZ Trader: 101 Farmer:84 HILMAND Trader: 70 KANDAHAR Farmer:64 Trader: 68 Farmer:62 PAKISTAN Km 0 75 150 300 Source: Government of Afghanistan - National monitoring system implemented by UNODC Note: The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
Regional grouping of provinces for the opium poppy survey in Afghanistan 60 E 65 E 70 E 75 E UZBEKISTAN TAJIKISTAN TURKMENISTAN Faryab Jawzjan Northern Sari Pul Mazari Sharif Balkh Samangan Fayzabad Badakhshan Panjshir Nuristan Badghis 35 N Bamyan Parwan Kapisa Eastern 35 N Kunar Kabul Laghman Jalalabad Hirat Kabul Legend Wardak INDIA Hirat Logar Nangarhar Ghor Regional grouping of provinces Western Central Day Kundi Paktya Central Kunduz Baghlan Takhar North-eastern Farah Farah Southern Uruzgan Kandahar Zabul Ghazni Paktika Khost PAKISTAN Eastern North Eastern Northern Southern Western Main cities Hilmand Kandahar IRAN ± International boundaries Nimroz Provincial boundaries 0 50 100 200 Km 30 N 30 N GCS WGS-84 60 E 65 E 70 E 75 E Source: Government of Afghanistan - National monitoring system implemented by UNODC Note: The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.