Coca Cultivation Soars in Colombia Amidst Drug Policy Shifts

Colombia saw a 10% increase in land dedicated to coca cultivation, with potential cocaine production rising by 53% last year, according to UNODC. President Petro has proposed shifting strategies to address drug issues, focusing on social investments and voluntary crop substitution.

A United Nations report revealed that land dedicated to coca cultivation in Colombia rose by 10% last year, marking the largest area in more than two decades. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 253,000 hectares were planted with coca leaf in 2023, up from 230,000 hectares in 2022, pushing potential cocaine production up by 53% to 2,644 metric tons.

The expansion predominantly occurred in the southwestern departments of Cauca and Narino, areas where leftist guerrilla groups and criminal gangs operate. UNODC's regional representative, Candice Welsch, emphasized the increase's significant impact on cocaine production, with plantations mostly between two and four years old, enhancing productivity.

Colombia, a leading cocaine producer, is under U.S. pressure to cut down coca farming. President Gustavo Petro aims to shift from a military-focused anti-narcotics strategy to addressing drug use as a public health issue. His government promotes voluntary crop substitution without aerial glyphosate spraying, while boosting cocaine seizures, which hit a record high last year.

(With inputs from agencies.)