Opium export grows by 36.4 per cent

Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh, Apr 26 : India has registered an increase of 36.4 per cent in its opium export, which grew by 134 tonnes as compared to last year, official sources said today.

The country exported 502 tonnes opium fetching about Rs 161 crore and earning a net profit of nearly Rs 25 crore in 2005-06.

The drug has been exported to the US, Japan, Germany, Iran, France and Sri Lanka.

Sources said out of the 502 tonnes of opium, 370 tonnes were produced in a Neemuch-based factory, while 132 tonnes were produced in a factory in Uttar Pradesh's Gazipur district.

The Centre had reduced opium prices from 7.25 dollar per morphine unit to 6 dollar per morphine unit in view of stiff international competition that had caused a fall in opium export.

The sources added that opium export had crossed 500 tonne mark for the first time since 2001, when 571 tonnes had been exported.

UNI