Mexico, Paraguay World’s Top Marijuana Producers
December 1st, 2008 by Perry
A report by the United Nations listed Mexico as the world’s #1 marijuana producer.
The statistics also suggest that Mexico and the United States combine to account for more than a quarter of the world’s marijuana production, despite accounting for less than one-tenth the population. Few were surprised the United States’ neighbor to the south was at the top of the list, but Paraguay, trailing on slightly behind, came in at #2 with 5,900 metric tons, considering the country’s size and competition.
The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime also found that Paraguay was the main source of marijuana for Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile.
The financial opportunity was listed as the main reason, with marijuana farmers being able to make as much as 500 times as much as traditional crops. The office estimated marijuana production worldwide was around 41,400 metric tons, according to the same report. Mexico produced 7,400 metric tons, compared to 4,700 metric tons for the United States. In comparison, on the African continent, South Africa is the leading producer with 2,500 metric tons.
NOTE: 1 metric ton = 2,205 pounds
