Bolivia coca acreages are likely to fall this year

Significance

The rise has prompted the EU to announce increased financial support for drug eradication in Bolivia, though a lack of resources for eradication is not the key factor hindering reduction.

Impacts

• Criminal organisations will pursue improved processing techniques to increase the amount of cocaine they can produce from coca crops.
• Bolivia will be an important staging post for the export of coca produced in southern Peru.
• Bolivia’s government will be a target for US criticism for political reasons, even though it produces less coca than Colombia and Peru.