Major Crops: Cuba and Hawaii Both Lead with Sugarcane

Cuba

• Primary: Sugarcane – historically world's largest sugar exporter; also molasses, rum.
• Other: Tobacco (premium cigars), coffee, citrus, rice, beans, tropical fruits.

Hawaii (USA)

• Primary (historical): Sugarcane – dominated 19th–20th century; last mill closed 2016.
• Current diversification: Pineapple (declining), coffee (Kona), macadamia nuts, papaya, banana, taro, cacao, tropical flowers, seed corn (GMO research), aquaculture.

Common Thread

Both were plantation economies built on sugarcane, shaping labor history (enslaved/indentured Asian, Portuguese, Puerto Rican workers), land tenure, and political power. Both now transitioning to diversified, high-value agriculture.