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

The "Opium Crop Year" is the annual period during which licensed farmers are permitted to cultivate opium poppies. The controlled production of opium is crucial for obtaining its alkaloids, which are essential for producing a wide range of legal pharmaceutical drugs.

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 ...