POPPY CULTIVATION AND ITS LEGALIZATION BY THE GOVERNMENTAL LAW IN SLOVAKIA

In Slovakia the cultivation of opium poppy Papaver somniferum L. was possible without a special permission, until 1998. The average poppy production area reached 3404 ha, in 1989-1998. After the Law 139 on narcotic and psychotropic components and products became effective, this area rapidly declined.
Between 2002 and 2003, there was a historical minimum of cultivation area – 390 and 386 ha, respectively.
The conditions of poppy cultivation have been dramatically modified by the Law 139 from 1998. According to this, it is possible to cultivate poppy on larger areas than 100 m², on the basis of permission issued by the Slovak Ministry of Health, only.
The large-scale cultivation of this special crop is concentrated in the West Slovakian region, close to the pharmaceutical company Zentiva, Co., in Hlohovec.
Farmers prefer a combined method of poppy production, i.e. the use of seed yield for nutrition and utilization of empty dry capsules by the pharmaceutical industry.
During the last 10 years, the production area ranged between 386 to 2714 ha.

International Symposium on Papaver

J. Fejér, I. Salamon

Slovakia, poppy, traditional crop, poppy seeds, food

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1036.13