MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Coca fields are again expanding in the Andes

United Nations said Tuesday that coca fields in 2004 in the Andean region, which includes Colombia, Peru and Bolivia expanded, reversing the past three years decline.

Land dedicated to coca actually increased from 153,800 hectares (379,753 acres) to 158,000 hectares (390,123 acres).

Bolivia registered a 17% increase, Peru 14% and Colombia experienced a 7% decline said the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa.

According to the "2004 Andean Coca Surveys for Bolivia, Colombia and Peru," released in Brussels, Colombia had 80,000 hectares (197,530 acres) of land planted with coca last year, compared to 86,000 hectares (212,345 acres) in 2003.

"Efforts to reduce coca plantations in Colombia continue to succeed" said Mr. Costa who revealed that since 2000, the area has been cut by half, "one of the most sustained reductions in illicit crops in recent history".

In 2004, Peru had 50,300 hectares (124,198 acres) planted with coca, compared to 44,200 hectares (109,136 acres) in 2003, the report said. Some 27,700 hectares (68,395 acres) were planted in Bolivia with coca last year, up from 23,600 hectares (58,272 acres) in 2003.

"The increase in Bolivia and Peru is worrisome. After the sustained decline in the Andean region during the past five years, however, it is too early to characterize the increase in 2004 as a trend reversal" underlined Mr. Costa.

In 2004, Colombia produced 56% of the cocaine consumed in the world, while Peru accounted for 28% and Bolivia 16%.

Mr. Costa said the reduction in Colombia's coca planting was mainly due to U.S. funded aerial spraying, manual eradication and alternative crop programs.

"This could be a turning point for the Andean region - farmers are ready to abandon coca cultivation, if legitimate means to earn a livelihood are available. But alternative livelihoods are possible only in a stable and secure environment. It is imperative, therefore, to strengthen governance and development programs in Peru and Bolivia, where recent increases in cultivation have occurred" added Mr. Costa.

The U.N. official said a special effort is needed to deal with rising coca production in Peru to prevent a return to the situation of the 1990s, when some 100,000 hectares (246,913 acres) were dedicated to growing the illegal crop in that country. The majority of the coca growing in Bolivia takes place in the provinces of Yungas and Chapare.

European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner said the E U was committed to fighting drugs and noted that Brussels plans to spend 140 million euros ($168.5 million) between 2001 and 2006 on anti-drug program.