Opium cultivation "EMPOWER IAS"

In news:

• The Central government has decided to rope in the private sector to commence production of concentrated poppy straw from India’s opium crop.

 

What is the move?

• The move aims to boost the yield of alkaloids, used for medical purposes and exported to several countries.
• Among the few countries permitted to cultivate the opium poppy crop for export and extraction of alkaloids, India currently only extracts alkaloids from opium gum at facilities controlled by the Revenue Department.
• This entails farmers extracting gum by manually lancing the opium pods and selling the gum to government factories.
• The Ministry has now decided to switch to new technologies after trial cultivation reports submitted last year by two private firms showed higher extraction of alkaloids using the concentrated poppy straw (CPS).

 

Opium Poppy

• The milky fluid that seeps from cuts in the unripe poppy seed pod has, since ancient times, been scraped off and air-dried to produce what is known as opium.
• The seedpod is first incised with a multi-bladed tool.
• This lets the opium “gum” ooze out.
• The semi-dried “gum” is harvested with a curved spatula and then dried in open wooden boxes.
• The dried opium resin is placed in bags or rolled into balls for sale.

 

Why such a move?

• India’s opium crop acreage has been steadily declining over the years.
• The CPS extraction method is expected to help cut the occasional dependence on imports of products like codeine (extracted from opium) for medical uses.

 

AAmendments to NDPS Act

• Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are the three traditionally opium-growing States, where poppy crop cultivation is allowed based on licences issued annually by the Central Bureau of Narcotics.
• While roping in private players in producing CPS and extracting alkaloids from it is likely to require amendments to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
• The Revenue Department has decided to appoint a consultant to help frame the bidding parameters and concession agreements for the same.

 

Opium Cultivation In India

• After independence, the control over cultivation and manufacture of opium became responsibility of the Central Government with effect from April, 1950.
• At present the Narcotics Commissioner along with the subordinates exercises all powers and performs all functions relating to superintendence of the cultivation of the opium poppy and production of opium.
• The Commissioner derives this power from the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 and Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Rules, 1985.
• License for manufacture of certain types of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as well as permits for export and import of narcotic drugs, psychotropic and controlled substances are issued with the approval and permission of the Narcotics Commissioner.
• The Government of India announces the licensing policy for cultivation of opium poppy every year, prescribing the minimum qualifying yield for issue of or renewal of licence, maximum area that can be cultivated by an individual cultivator, the maximum benefit that can be allowed to a cultivator for damage due to natural causes, etc.
• The opium poppy can be cultivated only in such tracts as are notified by the Government.
  • At present these tracts are confined to three States,viz. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
  • Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh and Chittorgarh and Jhalawar Districts of Rajasthan constitute about 80% of the total area cultivated.
• India is one of the few countries internationally permitted (by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ) to cultivate opium poppy for export.

 

 Uses

• Opium is unique in its therapeutic value and is indispensable in the medical world.
• It also finds use in Homeopathy and Ayurveda or Unani systems of indigenous medicines.
• The opium which is used as Analgesics, Anti-Tussive, Anti spasmodic and as a source of edible seed-oil, acts as a medicinal herb.