In a large South American country, a farmer looks out from his veranda over his two main crops.  On the right side of the rutted dirt, row upon row of coffee are growing in the high mountain air.  To the left, coca grows in equally ordered rows.  Both crops require tending, and both require some degree of processing to yield roasted coffee beans on one side,  processed cocaine on the other.

Both are transported to the United States.  In addition to the shipping expenses, the coffee requires the payment of various tariffs, while the coca shipments are accompanied by gangs, bribes, guns, and related violence, to the extent that some towns in Northern Mexico are “owned” by drug cartels. Coffee arrives on US grocery shelves at $6 to $12 a pound. Cocaine arrives at $20,000 to $44,000 a pound. (and is cut for street distribution). Continued