Agriculture
The island supports several small- and medium-sized agricultural enterprises.
In the 1960s, just before establishment of the European Economic Community (EEC), about 80% of the island's income derived from banana-crop exports to the United Kingdom. By the time the EEC was being phased into the European Union in 1993, that bloc's agricultural committees had announced their intention to eliminate preferred access of Windward Islands crops to the United Kingdom, which will cause considerable reduction in the prices which banana crops previously commanded.
In order to mitigate the impact of such income reductions, the island's governments have announced several efforts to diversify the island's agricultural production. They have encouraged the establishment of tree crops such as mangos and avocados.
The island's banana output was heavily impacted in 2007 by the passage of Hurricane Dean. In 2006 the Governor stated:
- While living standards have improved for many, a large number of persons has been pushed to the margin of economic activity especially in the areas which once depended heavily on the banana industry for a livelihood.
In addition to banana production for export, a variety of crops are produced on the island for domestic consumption.
Read more about this topic: Economy Of Saint Lucia
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