The Caribbean islands are often viewed by North Americans as a pleasant place to escape from the grasp of winter. What many don’t realize is that the islands have been a source of wealth for centuries-and that there is a source of wealth waiting for today’s savvy investor.
Columbus arrived in search of gold. European planters arrived in search of agricultural land. The islands truly came into their own when sugar cane developed as their primary crop. That was the real gold, as real as the gold that covers the ceilings of British aristocracy’s homes. That gold was paid for from the proceeds of sugar, rum and molasses. Was it profitable? My graduate research at Bettie’s Hope Estate in Antigua revealed 18th century documents that proved the profitability of the islands for sugar cane production. In one year alone, Bettie’s Hope delivered a profit of over one million pounds at the end of the eighteenth century. This is a fortune by any century’s standards and this was only one plantation on one island.
Sugar cane agriculture died out in the islands soon after World War II when sugar beets became a cheaper source of sugar for world markets. Many of the islands now have acres of land lying in scrub brush where sugar cane used to grow. The land is primarily owned by governments who bought out the planters when they abandoned the islands for more lucrative investments.
Along with the lack of market for island sugar cane is a local stigma attached to agricultural work. The colonial mindset still has an impact on these islands and working in fields is seen as too menial for most of the population. Even when the Antiguan government offered free land to anyone under 25 years of age to use as farmland, only a handful accepted the offer. However, there are people there who still know how to grow sugar cane and grow it well.
The time has come for a renewal of agriculture in the Caribbean islands. The people and stable governments of these islands may not even realize that the world is seeking a source of fuel that they are in a prime position to produce in great quantity. That source is ethanol from sugar cane.
Sugar cane is perfect for ethanol production since it will not negatively impact the food chain through the consumption of food crops as fuel for our technology. Already the concerns are growing in North America of the financial impact of using corn and other crops which are used to feed animals that are a source of meat. Other foods will be affected as sugar beets become a source of ethanol as well. Brazil is a prime example of how producing sugar cane for ethanol can supplement oil reserves to eliminate dependence on imported oil from unstable areas of the world.
The infrastructure is dormant on the islands but with a new awareness of the demand for this crop it could be resurrected. Ethanol production could reduce their dependency on tourism alone. A positive solution for the islands and a fuel hungry world.
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