New Delhi, Sept. 12 -- The Union Government Friday announced the annual licensing policy for crop year 2025-26 during the Opium Crop Year from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, of license for cultivation of opium poppy, for the farmers in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh

According to a release from the Ministry of Finance, as per the general conditions enshrined in the policy, nearly 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% increase over the number of licenses actually issued in the previous crop year. The policy thus brings approximately 15,000 additional farmers into the fold, who are expected to benefit from o...