Wed Jan 01 00:22:45 UTC 2025: ## Odisha Farmers Risk Prison for Lucrative Illegal Cannabis Trade

**BHUBANESWAR, Odisha –** Despite facing imprisonment and hefty fines, farmers in Odisha, India, are increasingly turning to illegal cannabis cultivation for substantial profits, far exceeding the income from traditional crops. The risky venture is flourishing in the state’s remote, hilly districts, providing a stark contrast between poverty and illicit wealth.

Ajay Rout, a 34-year-old farmer, exemplifies this trend. He cultivates cannabis in the hills, a two-hour trek from his village, to avoid detection by authorities. While his legal crops barely generate $357 annually, his cannabis cultivation yields over $5,900 in just five to six months. He served three months in prison in 2017 for the crime but continues, citing the overwhelming financial benefit as outweighing the risk.

This illicit trade is transforming the lives of many in the region. Subhankar Das, another farmer, boasts of upgrading his home and purchasing multiple motorcycles thanks to his cannabis earnings. He even plans to enroll his children in more expensive English-language schools. However, the farmers remain cautious, avoiding ostentatious displays of wealth to avoid attracting police attention.

Nonprofit organization SACAL, which works in cannabis-growing districts, has witnessed this dramatic change firsthand. Founder NK Nandi notes a significant shift in lifestyle, with families moving from mud houses and simple weddings to concrete homes and lavish celebrations, fueled by the cannabis trade. Improved transportation has also facilitated easier access for traders.

Odisha police acknowledge the challenge, reporting the seizure of approximately 600 tonnes of cannabis ($200 million worth) and the arrest of 8,500 traffickers between 2021 and 2023. They utilize drones and satellite imagery to locate and destroy plantations, but the use of landmines by rebel groups poses a significant risk to law enforcement. Despite their efforts, the high demand and lucrative prices – with cannabis selling for up to $298 per kilogram in cities, compared to $12 at the farm level – fuel the continued cultivation.

Some farmers, however, are abandoning the risky enterprise. Prabhat Rout, after five years of cannabis cultivation, switched to millet, a less profitable but safer alternative, encouraged by government incentives.

While the allure of cannabis’s substantial profits persists, the ongoing conflict between poverty, risk, and the law continues to shape the lives and livelihoods of farmers in Odisha’s hilly regions.

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