Poppy cultivation in Slovakia.

摘要

Poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) is a traditional crop in Slovakia. Farmers have cultivated this plant mostly for seeds production for culinary purposes. The poppy straw, a basic raw material for alkaloid production, is a by-product of the cultivation. The conditions of poppy cultivation were modified by Law 139 from 1998 about narcotic and psychotropic components and products. Poppy production areas have ranged from 386 to 2714 ha in the past 10 years. Slovakia belongs among countries with large-scale poppy cultivation, because it is a politically stable, hence a reliable supplier. The food poppy cultivars contain from low to moderate content of morphine, so contamination is negligible and consumption is not harmful to human health.