YANGON, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have destroyed 438.5 acres (177.6 hectares) illegally grown opium poppy plantations in eastern Shan state, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Monday.
The opium poppy plantations, destroyed by a combined force of police and local people between Oct. 28 and Nov. 23, were grown in some villages in Pinlaung and Pekon townships.
In December 2018, the authorities also destroyed 57.4 hectares opium fields in villages in three towns of Hopong, Pinlaung and Hsihseng in the same state.
Opium destruction is part of the government's efforts to stem opium production in the country.
According to figures, poppy was cultivated on 37,300 hectares of land and 520 tons were produced in Myanmar in 2018, down by 9 percent and 5.45 percent respectively as compared with 2017 when poppy was cultivated on 41,000 hectares and 550 tons were produced.
Despite drop in poppy cultivation and production on one hand, there was an increase in illicit drug seizures and production.
In June this year, Myanmar authorities ceremonially burned seized narcotic drugs worth over 451.7 billion kyats (301.2 million U.S. dollars) in three cities of Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi.
