The Central Government vide Notification No. 1/2015-Narcotics Control-1 dated 5th October, 2015 has notified the general conditions for grant of license for cultivation of opium poppy on account of the Central Government during the Opium Crop Year commencing on the 1st day of October, 2015 and ending with the 30th day of September, 2016. Under the proposed policy, the average yield of opium Cultivators who had cultivated opium poppy during the crop year 2014-15 has been fixed at 56 kg/hectare for cultivators in the States of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and an average yield of opium of not less than 52 kg/hectare in the State of Uttar Pradesh.

 The Central Government would consider issue of more licenses to farmers this year with good performance in the past for cultivation of opium poppy in the future, in light of proposed augmentation of capacity of the Government Opium and Alkaloid Works, adequate demand of opium for domestic and export purposes, provided the concerned farmers have satisfied MQY and other conditions of the licensing policy of the relevant year.

 Such licenses, as and when issued, would be through an objective and transparent policy keeping in mind the interests of all the stakeholders. The policy would endeavor giving priority to traditional cultivators who have been earlier granted licenses for cultivation of opium poppy.

Opium poppy licensing: government sets yield thresholds and prioritizes traditional cultivators under transparent policy. Notification sets general conditions for opium poppy cultivation licences for the crop year, prescribing specific yield thresholds and a Minimum Quantity Yield requirement as eligibility criteria. Licence issuance will be considered based on past performance, compliance with licensing conditions, augmented government processing capacity, and domestic and export demand, with objective, transparent allocation and priority to traditional cultivators.