BANGKOK, June 29: Major eradication efforts which could see Southeast Asia declared virtually opium-free in coming years have been offset by rising production in top heroin source Afghanistan, the United Nations said on Wednesday in its world drug report.

Some 4,850 tons of opium was produced globally in 2004 — up two per cent from 2003, but down 16 per cent from the 1999 peak — with Afghanistan producing about 87 per cent of the world’s supply, said the annual report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

“The long-term trend has been towards rising levels of opium production in Afghanistan,” it said.

“This has largely offset the strong declines reported from Myanmar and Lao PDR (Laos) in recent years, bringing global potential heroin production in 2004 to 565 metric tons.”

Opium is derived from unripe poppy seeds and is the base narcotic from which heroin is produced.

Afghanistan said it has mounted a serious campaign to tackle its narcotics trade.—AFP