24 June 2005
U.S. Says Marijuana, Opium Cultivation Dropped in Mexico in 2004
Mexico said to continue intensive effort against marijuana crop
By Eric Green
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- The cultivation of marijuana and opium poppy in Mexico declined between 2003 and 2004, says the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
In a June 20 statement, the ONDCP said marijuana cultivation fell 23 percent during that time period -- an estimated 5,800 hectares in 2004, down from 7,500 hectares in 2003.
The ONDCP said the Mexican government continued its intensive efforts against the marijuana crop, eradicating 30,836 hectares between 2003 and 2004. The potential production of marijuana fell to an estimated 10,400 metric tons in 2004, down from 13,400 metric tons in 2003. Potential production refers to the amounts that the U.S. government estimates would have been produced if all available crops were to be converted into finished drugs.
Meanwhile, opium poppy cultivation declined 27 percent in 2004, to an estimated 3,500 hectares, down from 4,800 hectares in 2003. Mexican government forces eradicated 15,925 hectares of opium poppy. Potential production of heroin fell to an estimated nine metric tons in 2004, down from an estimated 12 metric tons in 2003.
The ONDCP said most of the Mexican-produced heroin and a substantial portion of the Mexican-produced marijuana supply the U.S. drug market.
The ONDCP added that the U.S. government produces annual estimates of drug crop cultivation in countries where the cultivation affects the United States. The estimates are produced with survey-sampling techniques and satellite imagery.
The U.S. State Department said in a recent report that Mexico made an intensive counternarcotics and law enforcement effort throughout 2004.
The State Department's 2005 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which covered the year 2004, said that the government of Mexican President Vicente Fox "continued its unprecedented cooperation with the United States in fighting drug trafficking and other serious trans-border crimes menacing the citizens of both countries."
But the report, released March 4, added that despite its intense law enforcement efforts, Mexico is the leading transit country for cocaine and a major producer of heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana destined for U.S. markets.
The report said the United States plans to continue to support Mexico's efforts in building institutions to "reinforce and make permanent" the "unprecedented cooperation" between the two countries in fighting illegal drugs.
This U.S. support for Mexico includes promoting improved intelligence-sharing against illicit drug activities, enhanced bilateral teamwork to fight money laundering, and encouraging the increase of eradication programs targeting opium poppy and marijuana.
The United States also works with Mexico to attack criminal drug organizations and disrupt their activities, improve interdiction efforts on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, decrease the diversion of precursor chemicals towards illicit drug production, and improve the successful prosecutions of drug criminals.
The 2005 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report is available on the State Department’s Web site.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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