'There'll be war' if Bolivia cuts coca growing, farmers warn

COROICO : For the coca farmers of western Bolivia's Las Yungas region, the loss of president Evo Morales - himself a one-time coca grower, and a champion of indigenous rights - is less worrying than the drop in price of their"holy leaf" crop.

The almost fluorescent green of the plants stands out against other lush vegetation in this subtropical mountain zone, a warm and humid area with heavy rainfall.BARELY GETTING BY According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime , the area under coca cultivation decreased by 6 per cent from 2017 to 2018, from 24,500 to 23,100 ha.

Coca grower Luis Prudencial warned"there'll be war" if the interim government of Jeanine Anez, or whoever wins the next election, decides to cut their lands"even by a bit."For years, many of the farmers have been flouting the rules and planting in places they are not allowed to. Gladys pointed to a large swathe of brilliant green, an"illegal" patch growing beneath the terraces on the hillside.

Under Morales' 14 years in power, the price of coca in the authorised markets in La Paz and Cochabamba doubled.

Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Thai rice farmers shun 'big agribusiness' and fight climate changeBattling drought, debt and ailments blamed on pesticides, rice farmers in northern Thailand have turned to eco-friendly growing methods despite ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Sumatran tiger kills farmer in IndonesiaPALEMBANG, INDONESIA (AFP) - A Sumatran tiger has killed an Indonesian farmer, police said on Friday (Dec 13), in the third fatal attack by the critically endangered species in less than a month.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Unemployment rate inches up to 2.3%, even as total employment grows in Q3SINGAPORE: The overall unemployment rate in Singapore inched up slightly in the third quarter of this year, even as total employment growth more ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Singapore-based airlines cut flights to HK, offer lower faresRead more at The Business Times.
Source: BusinessTimes - 🏆 15. / 51 Read more »

Two-century trend of Army suicide decrease during war reversed in past two decades(Reuters Health) - While army suicides have historically decreased during wartime, that trend appears to have reversed in recent decades, a new ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

India protest hotspot offline as two shot deadInternet access has been cut in India's northeastern city of Guwahati after violent protests over a new citizenship law saw two demonstrators shot ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »