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An Afghan farmer collects raw opium as he works in a poppy field in Khogyani District of Nangarhar province in April 2013. AFP/Getty Images hide caption

An Afghan farmer collects raw opium as he works in a poppy field in Khogyani District of Nangarhar province in April 2013.

Afghanistan's opium poppy cultivation set a new record this year, according to an annual survey released by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. Total cultivation rose 7 percent, compared with last year's record figure, and potential opium production rose by 17 percent.

In 2014, more than 550,000 acres of Afghan land were cultivated that's approaching the total land area of Rhode Island.

What's causing the jump in opium cultivation?

The UNODC's director of policy analysis, Jean-Luc Lemahieu, says Afghanistan's disputed presidential election contributed to the increase in several ways:

First, the protracted election and fears that it could spark civil war paralyzed the country's economy. Investment stalled, and people moved money out of the country. Afghanistan lost an estimated $5 billion to $6 billion in economic activity. That motivated farmers to turn to the illegal economy, in particular opium.

Second, the "political economy" (shorthand for the candidates and their campaigns) required funding that was not available through the legal economy. So candidates tapped into the illicit drug economy.

Third, Afghan security forces were tasked with securing the country during the two rounds of voting, shifting their attention from eradication efforts, which fell by 63 percent this year.

Also, ongoing fighting between the Taliban and Afghan forces, which are now responsible for security in the country, prevented the government from focusing on counter-narcotics efforts though eradication in Afghanistan has never had more than a marginal impact.

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Afghanistan's Opium Harvest Sets New Record