Commodities

Cocaine Is Set to Overtake Oil to Become Colombia’s Main Export

  • Bloomberg Economics estimates 2022 exports of $18.2 billion
  • Cocaine could overtake oil exports as soon as this year
A worker holds coca paste in La Paz, Guaviare department, ColombiaPhotographer: Ivan Valencia/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Cocaine is set to become Colombia’s main export, overtaking oil, as production of the narcotic continues to expand as the government take a more lenient policy regarding drugs, according to estimates by Bloomberg Economics.

Oil exports posted a drop of 30% in the first half and the trend of cocaine trade has consistently risen, meaning the latter could be Colombia’s No. 1 export as soon as this year, according to Bloomberg economist Felipe Hernandez.