Peru denies being the world's top coca producer

Peru on Wednesday rejected the conclusion of a recent UN report that it has overtaken Colombia to become the world's top coca producer.

Peru became the biggest coca producer in 2009 by harvesting 119,000 tons of coca leaves, surpassing Colombia that produced 103,000 tons, according to the report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Peruvian Foreign Minister Jose Garcia Belaunde said there were inconsistencies between different statistics.

Those were not the figures of the Peruvian government, neither of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the minister said.

Statistics showed Colombia had 68,000 hectares under coca cultivation last year, compared with 59,800 hectares for Peru, according to Peruvian officials.

It is estimated that Colombia produced 410 tons of cocaine last year, while Peru produced some 320 tons.

Garcia said the UNODC should check the figures related to Peru's coca production in 2009.

There were 38,700 hectares of coca in Peru in 1999, according to officials.

Source:Xinhua