Utilizing advanced mapping and estimation techniques, the study underscores the effectiveness of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s “War on Drugs” initiative launched in 2021.
From September 2023 to January 2024, the survey mapped poppy cultivation areas in nine hill districts: Chandel, Churachandpur, Kamjong, Kangpokpi, Noney, Senapati, Tamenglong, Tengnoupal, and Ukhrul.
The findings reveal a reduction in poppy cultivation from 16,632.29 acres in the 2022-2023 period to 11,288.07 acres in 2023-2024, marking a significant 32.13% decrease from the previous year.
In 2021-2022, the initial MARSAC report documented 28,598.91 acres under poppy cultivation across eight districts, with Kangpokpi reporting the highest area at 9,517.90 acres. By 2022-2023, this number had decreased by 40.94% to 16,890.37 acres.
District-wise data shows notable declines, such as in Churachandpur, where poppy cultivation dropped from 6,688.61 acres to 4,062.04 acres in the same period. Similarly, Kangpokpi saw a decrease from 9,517.90 acres to 5,407.47 acres.
Tamenglong reported approximately 96.06 acres of poppy cultivation in 2022-2023, while Noney, previously poppy-free in 2021-2022, recorded 132.36 acres in the following year.
Pherzawl remains the sole poppy-free hill district in Manipur.
Supported by an official report from the Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB), MARSAC’s findings indicate significant progress in eliminating poppy cultivation from 2017 to 2024.
NAB reports the destruction of 19,135.50 acres of poppy plantations during this period, with Kangpokpi and Churachandpur witnessing the highest rates of destruction at 4,454.4 acres and 2,317.8 acres, respectively.