Pubdate: Tue, 05 Jun 2007 Source: Los Angeles Times (CA) Copyright: 2007 Los Angeles Times Contact: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Colombia Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?208 (Environmental Issues) U.S. DETECTS MORE COCA BEING GROWN Despite widespread spraying of defoliants financed by the U.S., total acreage of coca cultivated in Colombia rose 19% in 2006 compared with 2005, according to an annual survey by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The report stresses that much of the gain may be attributed to an expansion of the area included in the survey, which is done by satellite, airplane and on the ground. The White House said the increase was due partly to "rapid crop reconstitution," the use of smaller plots in more remote areas and farmers' increasing use of national parks, where aerial spraying is forbidden. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake