While Colombia is still the first world producer of cocaine, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported this month that the production of the white powder in Colombia has decreased.
The UNODC report on coca plants in the Andean countries determined that coca plantations decreased by 18 percent, which corresponds to 81 hectares, while the production of cocaine decreased by 28 percent from 600 tons in 2007 to 430 tons in 2008.
Coca plantations increased especially after 2006, creating much discussion on the effectiveness of official and international programs for the eradication of coca plants. Between 2000 and 2004 there was also a noticeable reduction, but the 2008’s numbers would be the lowest number since 1999.
According to the UNODC report, the reason for the reduction is the manual eradication of about 96.115 hectares of coca plants, especially in the departments of Antioquia and Putumayo. Such activity increased 44 percent in 2007, while 133.496 hectares have been fumigated, especially in the department of Nariño. Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of UNODC, said that the results are very important because it shows that there were more coca plants eradicated in Colombia than what were grown in Bolivia and Peru combined.
But if numbers seem positive in Colombia in the fight on drugs production the story in Bolivia and Peru is different. Coca production increased by 6 and 4.5 percent respectively.
For Costa, the difference between Colombia and its southern neighbors relies in different policies:
“Los aumentos registrados en Bolivia y el Perú manifiestan una tendencia en la dirección incorrecta. Desde 2000 el cultivo de coca ha disminuido en Colombia y ha aumentado en Bolivia y el Perú. El Perú debe evitar volver a los días en que los terroristas y los insurgentes, como Sendero Luminoso, sacaban provecho de las drogas y la delincuencia”.
“The increase registered in Bolivia and Peru manifested a tendency in the wrong direction. Since 2000 the cultivation of coca has decreased in Colombia and has increased in Bolivia and Peru. Peru, should avoid a return to the days where terrorists and insurgents like Sendero Luminoso, took advantage from drugs and delinquency.”
Both the Colombian and Peruvian governments have created programs intended to help coca growers to opt for other ways of economical living, but Costa said that it is needed more assistance for the development of poor communities, for example in Bolivia where coca plantations seem to be the only way of living. At the same time, coca grows mean destruction of natural environments, a fact that is particularly real in the Colombian Amazon basin and the Andes ranges where national parks are used by coca growers.
The fight against cocaine production includes the fight against mafia networks, the seizure of loads of cocaine and the destruction of laboratories used for the making of the drug. According with the report, Colombian authorities seized 200 tons of cocaine in 2008, meaning an increase of 57 percent in comparison with 2007. They destroyed also 3,200 laboratories (36 percent more than a years earlier).
Colombia began its program of eradication in the Putumayo state in 2000 supported by the United States in the context of a discussion on human rights issues. In that time, the Clinton administration promised military assistance to those Colombian official groups out of suspects of human rights violations.
Consumption
The other side of the coin is cocaine consumption. The discussion about who is more guilty, the producer or the consumer, is resolved by thinking of it in terms of a dual responsibility. The growth in consumption means the growth in supply and vice versa. Therefore, both sides of the equation should be tackled on the same level.
“La oferta de cocaína está disminuyendo, así como su demanda en los principales mercados de América del Norte, mientras que en Europa occidental ha dejado de aumentar el uso de la cocaína. Ello podría explicar el aumento de los precios y la disminución de los niveles de pureza. También podría explicar por qué los carteles se están volviendo tan violentos”.
“The supply of cocaine is diminishing, as its demand in the main markets of North America, while in Western Europe the increase in the use of cocaine is a fact. This trend can explain why there is an increase in prices and a decrease in purity levels. It could also explain why the cartels are becoming more violent,” said Costa.
Cocaine increased its prize in 2008 by 7 percent (2,348 dollars/kilo.) affecting the consumption in European and North American markets. The increase of consumption of cocaine has increased in Europe since 2000 and Latin Americans cities of non producer countries such as Buenos Aires, Sao Paolo, Mexico and Caracas.
Colombia, the primary global producer of cocaine
But even if numbers seem optimistic, Colombia was in 2008 the primary producer of cocaine globally, with 81,000 hectares. Together with Peru and Bolivia, Colombia completes the ‘cocaine triangle’, where Peru is the secondary world producer with 56,000 hectares and Bolivia the tertiary with 30,500.
Although production has reduced in the country by 18 percent, the Pacific region of Colombia saw an increase in the number of plantations.
In 2008, a report by BBC Mundo ( the Spanish version of BBC World) gave a less optimistic report stating that every plant that was eradicated, was immediately replaced by another, because the plantations increased in 27 percent. 2008 closed with 95 thousand plants eradicated by hand, a method condemned by ecologists — and also by Ecuador especially, who denounces Colombia for ongoing chemical fumigations near the border.
Glyphosate has been at the center of debate because it is said that such herbicide contaminates waters and causes sickness in the population exposed to it. However, the Colombian government has continued with the use of such method along with manual eradication.
Between 1998 and 2008, Washington has given Colombia about 5,000 million dollars to eradicate coca plantations. The budget from the American side to support the coca plants eradication has been in danger after the 2008-2009 global financial crisis and the change of administration in the White House to president Barack Obama, although he has promised to continue the support.