The State-run
on Friday released the 2024 Coca Crop Monitoring Report, which records a reduction for the second consecutive year, with 89,755 hectares of cultivated area, compared to 2023.
Had the South American country not implemented concrete measures, projections for 2024 would have exceeded 125,000 hectares, based on previous trends.
However, this trend was reversed thanks to the national drug control policy and alternative development efforts, Figueroa said.
Coca cultivation was reduced to 92,784 hectares in 2023, with a further decrease consolidated in 2024. This represents a 29% reduction compared to the original projection, the report noted.
Hatwell emphasized that the report, crafted in the framework of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, constitutes a key tool.
"As a trusted partner and strong advocate of multilateralism, the European Union wishes to highlight the joint work we have been carrying out since 2020," he stated.
Results through interinstitutional approach
The Devida president emphasized that the strategy to reduce illegal coca leaf cultivation was made possible through the joint efforts of various Peruvian State entities —such as the National Police, the Judiciary, the Ministry of Interior, and the Migrations Office— alongside the support of international cooperation.
One of the report's most important findings is that drug trafficking has begun shifting toward more remote and border areas. These include low-density population regions in the lowland jungle, where there is no tradition of coca cultivation.
"There are no settled populations there, no markets, and no alternative productive activities. It is pure and hard drug trafficking," Figueroa stated.
He added that these areas require prior deforestation and adaptation processes, which involve investment and time —ranging from one to one and a half years— before they can enter into production.
Impact on communities and ecosystems
Figueroa warned that this expansion directly affects Indigenous communities, which have no ancestral ties to coca production or consumption.
"The ancestral cultivation of coca does not extend throughout the entire national territory," he clarified.
The official also highlighted that this drug trafficking expansion represents an environmental and social risk: "This entails deforestation, threats to Indigenous peoples, and ecosystem degradation."
Progress in traditional areas and operations
In contrast, traditional zones have seen sustained reductions. For example, in the Valley of Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro Rivers (VRAEM) region, a 5% decrease in cultivated hectares was reported for the first time in eight years.
On the operational level, eradication efforts were carried out without fumigation and involved root removal, through the Special Corah Project by the Ministry of Interior, with support from the Peruvian National Police (PNP) and its Anti-Drug Directorate (Dirandro).
Complex cases and international cooperation
Work in conflict zones such as Putumayo, where armed groups like FARC dissidents operate, has been possible thanks to support from the U.S. government —particularly in air transport— and the collaboration of local communities.
"The population no longer wants to live in fear," Figueroa said, highlighting citizens' will as a key driver of change.
Among the areas with the highest growth are Amazonas and San Gaban, both remote and lacking conditions for alternative development. Illegal mining was also identified in these areas, further complicating the situation.