Agriculture on Abaco has had spectacular highs and depressing lows.
Following is a brief summary of Abaco’s agriculture efforts.
Historical evidence suggests there were no settlements on Abaco prior to the arrival of the Loyalists in 1775, although there may have been seasonal farming by settlers from North Eleuthera.
1830s Pineapples were exported in small quantities.
1840s Sisal was introduced to the Bahamas.
1854 Fruit and orange exports totaled 322,800 pounds from Abaco.
1880 Pineapples were the major export for Abaco.
1888 Due to produce exports, Hope Town is made a Port of Entry.
1889 Sisal legislation is introduced to encourage production.
1889 A sisal plantation is established south of Marsh Harbour. Several large plantations were founded on Little Abaco Island. Sisal processing mills were located at Marsh Harbour, Hope Town, Guana Cay, Coco Plum Creek and maybe Sandy Point.
1895 Many sisal operations shut down as prices tumbled.
1897 Green Turtle Cay exported 350 dozen pineapples, down from 125,000 - 130,000 dozen several years earlier. Hope Town pineapple production was similar to Green Turtle Cay’s. Crops were not grown commercially on these two cays. Residents commuted to the mainland where they tended their fields.
1897 Orange exports from Abaco totaled 480,000 pounds with most being produced in the Hope Town district.
1899 Sisal production rebounded and was a major industry for Green Turtle Cay and a lesser industry for Hope Town. A sisal mill was located south of Marsh Harbour. It is now the present elevated St. Francis pre-school building.
1910 The sisal mill on Guana Cay stopped operation.
1918 Cedar Harbour was still producing some sisal.
1920s Tomatoes were grown for export and were ranked 2nd behind sponges.
1930s Sisal production came to a halt as prices tumbled.
1950+James B Crockett arrived and began Heveatex Plantation southwest of
the Marsh Harbour airport.
1958 S & M Farms bought the 3000acre Crockett farm. It produced tomatoes, cucumbers, pineapples and opened a tomato cannery.
1959 Moxie Williams opens an ornamental plant nursery at Sand Banks to supply Treasure Cay. It is still operating 48 years later.
1962 S & M Farms opened a packing plant in Marsh Harbour for tomatoes.
1965 Gulf & Western bought the S & M Farm.
1966 20,000 acres of forest was cleared for sugar cane. The Owens-Illinois logging lease was exchanged for 20,000 acres suitable for cane fields.
1967 The Owens Illinois sugar operation began.
1969 The sugar mill produced 15,000 tons in its initial year.
1970 A final 19,000 tons of sugar was made and the mill closed.
1972 Gulf and Western begins farming in the Norman’s Castle area with partners Edison Key and Morton Sawyer.
1977 Key and Sawyer farm was now totally owned by Edison Key & Morton Sawyer, eventually expanded to 3,000 acres.
1984 Bahama Palm Groves opened a citrus processing plant.
1986 Harry Profit grew ornamental plant slips near Joe’s Creek.
1992 Bahama Palm Grove opened a tomato packing plant.
Our information is sketchy for subsequent years but can easily be researched. It can be seen that agriculture is not a new subject for Abaco. It has had a rich history, and it is a shame that more information is not known on these early ventures. Much of the early information given above is found in single line extracts from commissioner’s annual reports and recorded by Steve Dodge in his book on Abaco history.
Some of Abaco’s growth with pineapples and other crops was due to the proximity to Florida. As other countries expanded their agricultural offerings and shipping methods improved, Abaco lost its advantage.
After world War II, Florida was the winter supplier of vegetables for the U.S. east coast and Abaco augmented this source. In fact, some Abaco crops were merely insurance against a Florida freeze. If Florida had a good season, Abaco tomatoes were plowed under. If Florida suffered from a freeze, Abaco tomatoes left every hour around the clock by air freight.
The abandoned Owens-Illinois sugar fields have opened many opportunities for Abaco farmers as farm land is now readily available. With the advent of greenhouses, gentlemen’s farming may now be a reality for some crops. Greenhouse growth gives high yields in limited space with controlled growing conditions. Holding a hoe and weeding with a machete are no longer required although a genuine interest in the agricultural process is required to be successful.
Inexpensive greenhouses should start being visible on Abaco this fall or winter. At 15 feet by 48 feet long, they are small enough to go in backyards and be tended by families as a serious hobby. The agriculture department is making these available at their cost of $1,200. Half sizes are probably available, 15 feet by 24 feet.
Table crops from some of these future greenhouse producers could be available in the spring of 2008. Time will tell.
The introduction of a citrus canker several years ago dealt a death blow to Abaco’s thousands of acres of citrus groves and the large shipments of grapefruit, lemons and limes to Florida. That industry will rebound, but it will be several years before the soil in the affected acreage is certified as canker free.
There appears to be a renewed interest in agriculture by farmers and a new approach by the ministry in bringing new methods to the forefront.
Conventional agriculture is not particularly appealing to our young people. However, new farming methods may coax some of them to give it try.
Farm labour remains a serious challenge and suggestions have been made that the Agriculture Department and Immigration must work more closely to achieve satisfactory results. When crops are ready to harvest, farmers do not have the luxury of waiting for immigration to decide on issuing permits.
Abaco’s agriculture appears to be on an upswing again. Whether Abaconians will rise to the challenge or foreign farmers will seize the opportunities remains to be seen.

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