Organic coffee certification in Peru as an alternative development-oriented drug control policy

Purpose – This article aims to evaluate the effect of organic coffee certification on coca cultivation, based on a survey of 496 members from coffee cooperatives located in the upper Tambopata valley in Peru. Coca is a bush from the leaves of which cocaine is extracted. Design/methodology/approach – The results were estimated using the propensity score matching methodology. Findings – The results suggest that participation in organic coffee certification statistically significantly reduces the scale of coca cultivation. Originality/value – This paper analyses a unique primary data set from a coca-growing region in Peru. The value of this paper is that the results suggest that under specific conditions, such as reasonable high and stable coffee prices, organic coffee certification can be an effective element of drug control policy in Latin America.