Poppy Advisory and Control Board : About us

About us

The Poppy Advisory and Control Board was established in the early 1970's to fulfil Australia's commitment to the 1961 United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The Convention requires stringent control and supervision of poppy growing and production.

The Board's role in the regulation of the poppy industry is clearly defined:

to process applications for licences and advise the Minister for Health on those applications
to advise on all matters relating to the cultivation, production and transport of poppies and poppy material
to collect and collate statistical information and prepare reports
to liaise with Australian Government Departments to fulfil Australia's obligations under the International Drug Conventions
to oversee security matters for Tasmanian crops

Because of the narcotic content of plants, strict controls are maintained over all aspects of growing through to processing. Board field officers regularly patrol crops and liaise with the Tasmanian Police Poppy Task Force, which operates each season.

The Board's head office is in Ulverstone.