GRENADA’S AGRICULTURAL AND TRADE TRANSFORMATION: 1946–PRESENT
Introduction
[edit | edit source]Agriculture and international trade have played an important role in Grenada’s economic development. Historical records from the colonial period show an economy strongly connected to agriculture, estates and the export of primary products. Modern statistics show a smaller agricultural land base, a predominantly smallholder farming sector and a wider range of goods being imported and exported.
This section compares Grenada’s agricultural and trade position from the period covered by The Grenada Handbook and Directory,1946 with more recent statistical information.
Historical references:[1] . The handbook was compiled by E. Gittens Knight and published in 1946 by the Barbados Advocate in collaboration with the Government of Grenada.
Modern References: [2] Grenada Central Statistical Office (CSO), Grenada Census of Agriculture 2023, and Grenada Government records.
Agriculture in historical Grenada
[edit | edit source]Early crops
[edit | edit source]The 1946 handbook identifies the following crops among Grenada’s early agricultural production:
- Sugar
- Indigo
- Cotton
- Cacao
Cacao: According to "The Grenada handbook" cacao appears to have been introduced into Grenada around 1714.
Sugar
Before the abolition of slavery:
- Sugar was the principal agricultural crop.
- Sugar was mainly cultivated on lower-lying lands.
- Mountainous areas were used for field crops and partly for cacao.
Following emancipation:
- The sugar industry declined considerably.
- Difficulties obtaining labour affected plantation agriculture.
- Grenada faced competition from sugar produced with enslaved labour elsewhere in the Caribbean.[1] agriculture section page 103
Land under Cultivation
[edit | edit source]| Type of cultivation | Acres |
| Cacao and nutmegs | 27,300 |
| Partly cacao and partly arable | 6,900 |
| Coconuts | 4,100 |
| Partly coconuts and partly arable | 2,600 |
| Sugar cane | 650 |
| Citrus | 100 |
| Pastures | 300 |
| Arable land | 1,400 |
| Total cultivated land | 43,350 |
Semi-productive land
| Classification | Acres |
| Intermittent peasant cultivation | 17,650 |
| Scrub and grasslands | 2,000 |
| Total | 19,650 |
Other land classifications
| Classification | Acres |
| Crown forest | 3,350 |
| Forest woodlands | 6,500 |
| Dry scrub/woodland | 3,600 |
| Swamps | 450 |
| Towns and villages | 100 |
Agricultural Holdings
[edit | edit source]The handbook records the number of owners by size of holding as at 31 December 1940.
| Size of holding | Number of owners |
| Under 10 acres | 18,458 |
| 10 acres | 54 |
| 11–50 acres | 337 |
| 51–100 acres | 66 |
| 101–1,000 acres | 124 |
| Over 1,000 acres | 1 |
This demonstrates the presence of numerous small agricultural holdings alongside larger estates.
5. AGRICULTURAL ESTATES
Estates in the Colony.
The records identify:
- Owner
- Estate
- Acreage
Acreage is given using:
- Acres
- Roods
- Perches
Examples of estates recorded include:
St. David’s Parish
| Owner | Estate | Acreage |
| Alexander Gordon D. | Baillies Bacolet | 604a 2r 10p |
| Alexander Frank | Corrinth | 285a 0r 8p |
| Alexis Dr. G. N. | Belle Isle | 229a 3r 5p |
| Commission Eustace | La Pastora | 142a 0r 11p |
| De LaMothe Joseph F. | La Sagasse | 639a 0r 2p |
| DeFreitas Sophie | Providence | 182a 2r 20p |
| Grenada Sugar Factory Ltd. | Bardia | 164a 2r 0p |
| McMillan B. & W. M. | Fond Pedrix | 110a 0r 4p |
| Neckler Alfred | Bellevue | 103a 0r 0p |
| Phillip C. A. O. | Laura | 130a 0r 0p |
| Regis Thomas | Mt. St. Catherine | 361a 3r 27p |
| Renwick J. B. | Mamelon | 289a 0r 0p |
| Taylor L. O. | Petit Etang | 253a 0r 0p |
| Williams Charlie | Requin | 253a 0r 0p |
St. Andrew’s Parish - available entries
| Owner | Estate | Acreage |
| Alexander A. D. W. | Carriere | 463a 2r 05p |
| Alexis J. L. C. | Grand Bras | 192a 3r 07p |
| Berkeley T. H. A. | Mt. Horne | 361a 0r 22p |
| Copland Joseph A. | Post Royal | 995a 0r 08p |
| DeGale St. G. V. | Meanceau | 139a 3r 00p |
St. George’s Parish - available entries
| Owner | Estate | Acreage |
| Alexander Frank | Morne Delice | 336a 2r 20p |
| Alexis Dr. Frank | Perseverance | 301a 3r 11p |
| Branch John P. A. | True Blue | 217a 0r 10p |
| Gentle G. E. P. | Mt. Parnassus | 356a 2r 32p |
| Grand Anse Estates Ltd. | Mt. Hartman | 297a 0r 0p |
| Harfor E. De B. | De Har | 194a 3r 25p |
| Henry F. M. | Black Forest | 132a 3r 27p |
| unknownn | Vendome | 178a 2r 29p |
| unknownn | Limeford | 109a 0r 0p |
| Hubbard & Co., Ltd. A. | Azamendale | 942a 0r 0p |
[1] “Estates in the Colony.”
6. SOIL EROSION
The Agricultural Superintendent’s report of 1938, reproduced in the 1946 handbook, discussed soil erosion in Grenada.
Areas of concern included:
- Removal of surface soil
- Erosion on hillsides
- Heavy rainfall and runoff
- Cultivated slopes
- Protection of river headwaters
The October 1938 rainstorm [3]demonstrated the potential for heavy rainfall to remove topsoil.[1]
7. HISTORICAL AGRICULTURAL LAND VALUES
Approximate land values recorded in the handbook:
| Type of land | Approximate value per acre |
| Uncultivated land | £1–£3 |
| Land rented to peasants for gardens | £10–£20 |
| Land cultivated in cocoa and nutmeg | £50–£100 |
These are historical values expressed in pounds sterling
8. GRENADA’S INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN 1946
The historical trade record for 1946 gives:
| Indicator | 1946 |
| Imports | £827,882 |
| Exports | £475,559 |
| Difference | £352,323 |
Imports therefore exceeded exports by approximately £352,323.
These figures are in British pounds sterling, reflecting Grenada’s status as a British colony at the time.
Political situation in 1946
Government: British colonial administration
Political parties: Grenada did not yet have the modern party government system.
Prime Minister: Grenada was a British colony and did not have a Prime Minister.
The 1946 trade figures should therefore be understood as colonial-era trade statistics, rather than statistics produced by an independent Grenadian government.