The decline in profitability of tobacco due to competition from Virginians sugar glut. 2 Social Habits in Europe was changing. The introduction of tea and coffee from the East; thereby it created a demand for sweeteners. 3 Other sweeteners such as honey were expensive than sugar. 4 Sugar could be transported in small ships. 5. It is not a perishable product 6. It was not too bulky. 7 The Dutch were easily the greatest traders in the Caribbean Region, they were looking for ways by which to increase their trade and saw that encouraging the landing of sugar was a great opportunity.
Sugar needed capital which the small planters of the Eastern Caribbean did not have, but the Dutch came to the rescue by supplying credit. 8 Sugar could not be grown in the temperate climate of Europe. C. ) Four (4) reasons why Tobacco remained the most profitable colonial product thorough the seventh century. (I) The use of Tobacco was viral in Europe, it’s addictive quality caused it to catch on quickly on the European market. (it) It did not require a large capital outlay in the form of machinery or buildings. Ii) The cultivation of Tobacco caught on rapidly in the West Indian colonies. (iv) Many products on the European markets were not profitable, hence it leaned towards Tobacco. D. ) (I)Economic: Sugar could have only been profitable if it was grown on a large scale. Hence the following changes took effect as a result of the Sugar Revolution: -There was an increase in the size of land holding due to absorption of smaller tobacco estates -The number of land owners decreased. – An uprising of Capital expenditure in the islands Social:
