What was the primary cash crop cultivated in Jamaica during the colonial era?

During the colonial era, the primary cash crop cultivated in Jamaica was sugar. The island's climate and fertile soil were highly conducive to sugar cane cultivation, leading to its dominance in the agricultural economy. As European demand for sugar increased, plantation owners capitalized on this lucrative market, establishing extensive sugar plantations that relied heavily on enslaved labor.

Jamaica became one of the leading producers of sugar in the Caribbean, significantly contributing to the island's wealth and economic development during the colonial period. The cultivation of sugar cane shaped the social and economic landscape of Jamaica, driving the importation of enslaved Africans whose labor was essential for the operation of sugar plantations.

While other crops such as cacao, rice, and tobacco were grown, they did not reach the same level of economic importance or export value as sugar did in Jamaica during this time. The focus on sugar cultivation had lasting effects on the island's demographics, economy, and societal structures, marking it as a pivotal aspect of Jamaica's colonial history.