Here's why:

* Chloroform is primarily produced by reacting chlorine (Cl₂) with either methanol (CH₃OH) or methylene chloride (CH₂Cl₂). The reaction is typically carried out in the presence of a catalyst.

Here's a simplified representation of the reactions:

* Methanol to chloroform:

CH₃OH + 4Cl₂ → CHCl₃ + 3HCl + H₂O

* Methylene chloride to chloroform:

CH₂Cl₂ + Cl₂ → CHCl₃ + HCl

Methane (CH₄) is the primary source of methanol and methylene chloride, but not directly used to produce chloroform. It's first processed to produce these intermediates, which are then used in the chlorination reaction to yield chloroform.