New Delhi, Sept. 12 -- The Government today announced the annual licensing policy for crop year 2025-26 during the Opium Crop Year from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026, for cultivation of opium poppy for the farmers of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
About 1.21 lakh farmers are estimated to be eligible for the grant of licenses for opium cultivation in these states. This represents a 23.5 percent increase over the number of licenses actually issued in the previous crop year.
The policy brings approximately 15,000 additional farmers into the fold who are expected to benefit from opium cultivation this year.
An official spokesman said here today that the policy seeks to balance Atmnirbharta (self-reliance) for government...