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GS3 · Agriculture, Narcotics

Opium licensing policy 2025-26: about 1.21 lakh farmers eligible

1 min readAgricultureMoney Laundering & Organised Crime
Battle IAS current affairs title card: Opium licensing policy 2025-26: about 1.21 lakh farmers eligible (GS3 · Agriculture, Narcotics, 12 September 2025)

What happened

  • The opium licensing policy for crop year 2025-26 (1 October 2025-30 September 2026) covers Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh [PIB].
  • About 1.21 lakh farmers are eligible, 23.5% more than licences issued last year, adding roughly 15,000 farmers [PIB].

Background

  • The Centre aims to ensure alkaloid supply for medical and palliative care [PIB].

Why it matters

  • Licensed cultivation must balance medical supply with leakage risk.

How to use this in Mains

GS-III Agriculture: cropping, MSP, PDS, food processing, land reforms

  1. As per PIB (2025-09-12): the opium licensing policy for crop year 2025-26 (1 October 2025-30 September 2026) covers Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
  2. Licensed cultivation must balance medical supply with leakage risk.
Quotable data point

About 1.21 lakh farmers are eligible, 23.5% more than licences issued last year, adding roughly 15,000 farmers.

PIB: Opium licensing policy 2025-26, 12 Sep 2025

Exam angle

UPSC

Prelims: opium-growing states.

Practice MCQs

Original practice questions (not PYQs).

Practice · UPSC

States in the opium licensing policy

Answer (a) & explanation

PIB.

Go deeper

ExplainerSelf-Reliance in Pulses and Edible Oils: Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (2025-31), National Mission on Edible Oils (Oilseeds and Oil Palm), Import Dependence and the Way Forward (UPSC Notes + PYQs)ExplainerPM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana: Convergence of 36 Schemes in 100 Low-Productivity Districts, Selection Criteria, Monitoring and the Aspirational Districts Model (UPSC Notes + PYQs)

Official source: PIB: Opium licensing policy 2025-26, 12 Sep 2025

facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending