Kabul, Apr 3 (IANS): In a decree issued on Sunday, Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada banned the cultivation of opium poppy and opium trade in Afghanistan.

"As per the decree of the supreme leader of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), all Afghans are informed that from now on, cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country," Xinhua news agency quoted the Taliban government as saying in a statement.

The statement added that if anyone violates the decree, the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be punished.

"In addition, use, transport, trade, export and import of all types of narcotics such as alcohol, heroin, K tablet (a drug with stimulant effects often sold in Afghanistan), hashish and etc., including drug manufacturing factories in Afghanistan are strictly banned.

"Enforcement of this decree is mandatory. The violator will be prosecuted and punished by the judiciary," the statement added.

Much of the world's opium poppy is cultivated in the militancy-hit Asian country.

In 2020, some 6,300 tonnes of opium were produced in the country, according to official data.