Growing regions

Growing regions

The Growing Region is our field-meaningful unit — a cultural-geographic area sharing climate, cultural practices and genetics.

Browse regions by country below. Regions that span borders are listed under each relevant country.

India Thailand Laos Pakistan Afghanistan Nepal Myanmar China (Yunnan)

India

Western Himalayas

     South Asian Gene Pool
     • Hindu Kush–Himalayan

High-elevation charas country; resilient drug-type populations in a cat-and-mouse with enforcement.

     Vulnerable
     
     Accessions: 100+

Dooars–Terai Fringe

     South Asian Gene Pool
     • Brahmaputra–Ganges

Humid piedmont belt at the Himalayan foothills; mixed feral/domesticate mosaics.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Thailand

Khorat Plateau

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Mekong Basin

Isan/Lao rainfed ganja region; seasonal selection persists amid hybrid pressure.

     Vulnerable
     
     Accessions: 12+

Northern Thai Highlands

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Upper Mekong Highlands

Cool monsoon highlands; shifting cultivation enclaves with legacy drug-type stands.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Laos

Northern Laos

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Lao Highlands

Mountain villages with rainfed ganja traditions; increasing hybrid introductions along roads.

     Vulnerable
     
     Accessions: —

Upper Mekong Highlands (Laos sector)

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Upper Mekong Highlands

Cross-border highlands spanning Yunnan–Laos–N. Thailand; cool monsoon regime.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Pakistan

Swat–Dir Valleys

     South Asian Gene Pool
     • Hindu Kush

Cool-arid river valleys with hashish traditions; security limits documentation.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Afghanistan

Balkh Oases

     Central/South Asian Interface
     • Amu Darya Oasis Belt

Cold-night hashplant oases; dense resin; shrinking cultivation under instability.

     Endangered
     
     Accessions: —

Nepal

Central Nepal Mid-Hills

     South Asian Gene Pool
     • Himalayan Mid-Hills

Terraced mid-hills; traditional drug-type enclaves with seasonal charas production.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

Myanmar

Shan Plateau Fringe

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Salween–Irrawaddy Divide

Upland mosaics; limited documentation amid shifting cultivation systems.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —

China (Yunnan)

Yunnan–Red River Highlands

     Southeast Asian Gene Pool
     • Upper Mekong/Red River Divide

Highland ethnic mosaics; historical ganja cultivation with modern reduction.

     Data Deficient
     
     Accessions: —