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Tasmanian opium poppy farming industry

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Opium poppies (Papaver somniferum) under cultivation in Tasmania

The Tasmanian opium poppy farming industry was established in Tasmania in 1966.[1][2]

Farms in Tasmania produce about 50%[3] of the world's licit poppy straw that is later refined into opiates such as morphine and codeine.[4]

Tasmanian Alkaloids is Tasmania's largest corporate grower of opium poppies.[5]

A downy mildew outbreak in the 2014 poppy-growing season led to one Tasmanian company to look into growing poppies in the Northern Territory and Victoria of Australia.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Legislative Council Select Committee Inquiry: Tasmanian Poppy Industry" (PDF). Parliament of Tasmania. November 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  2. ^ Chang, Charis (9 April 2014). "States want their cut of Australia's growing opium poppy industry". news.com.au. News Corp. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b Blucher, Alex (7 November 2014). "A systemic mildew that's causing entire paddock losses in poppy crops across Tasmania has sparked an industry-wide response". ABC Rural. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  4. ^ Gardner, Jessica (14 January 2014). "Opium poppy venture on a high". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  5. ^ Ogilvie, Felicity (25 June 2009). "Happy hops damage poppy crops". ABC News (Australia). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
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