Processing of opium in India began with the setting up of the opium factory in 1820 in Ghazipur (U.P.), a town of Eastern U.P. located on the banks of the River Ganga. Later an alkaloid plant was set up a Ghazipur in 1943 during the period of World War II. The Opium and Alkaloid Plants of Ghazipur are spread over an area of about 43 acres.

The second plant for processing opium and manufacture of alkaloids located in Neemuch district of M.P., which is approximately 5 kms. from the eastern border of Rajasthan. It also comprises two separate units namely, the Opium Factory and Alkaloid Works. The Neemuch Opium Factory has been in operation since 1^st April, 1935. Initially, there was another Opium Factory at Mandsaur but the same was closed down in the year 1969. The Alkaloid works was inaugurated on 6^th October, 1976. The campus has an area of 57,000 sq. mtrs.

The Alkaloid Works at Ghazipur and Neemuch processes raw opium for manufacture of alkaloid/ drugs, namely narcotine, thebaine, papaverine and codeine phosphate. Morphine salts and Codeine Phosphate are the main products supplied to Indian Pharmaceutical Industries. The Alkaloid Works also has its own process control and quality control laboratories to ensure regular monitoring of process samples and stringent quality control. The organization also has a full-fledged Research and Development wing.

The following products are manufactured at the Government Opium and Alkaloid Works undertakings –

To obtain further information on these products, please contact –

Chief Controller of Factories (or)
General Manager (Commercial)

at the following address –

Government Opium and Alkaloid Factories
27, Saraswati House, 5^th Floor
Nehru Place, New Delhi – 110 019
Fax: 011-26440667
Tel.: 011-26417475
E-mail : goaf@vsnl.com

The addresses and phone numbers of their offices and factories are: