Cocaine production hits record levels

Coca cultivation rose by 35% between 2020 and 2021 to record levels as demand rebounded following Covid lockdowns, a UN report says


COCA BUSH CULTIVATION 			COCAINE SEIZURES WORLDWIDE
(hectares, ’000)			(tonnes, ’000)

Bolivia	Peru	Colombia

Production increase due to expansion in cultivation of coca and improvements in converting coca into cocaine

2021: Seizures reach record high of nearly 2,000 tonnes

2020-21: Coca production spikes by 35% – sharpest rise since 2016
						
						2.0 
						1.8
						1.6
						1.4 
600     					1.2
500						1.0
400						0.8
300     					0.6
200  						0.4
100						0.2
0     						0
	2010 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 2021
       
     
Source: UNODC 
Picture: Getty Images 
© GRAPHIC NEWS