Barbados is an island nation located between the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea. It belongs to Lesser Antilles. Capital: Bridgetown Official language: English Currency: Barbados dollar Passport and visa: Finnish citizens holding a Finnish passport do not need a visa for stays of less than 3 months. Time difference to Finland: -6 hours, summer time is not used. Climate: The climate is tropical. Rain is produced all year round, but the most active rainy season lasts from July to November. During the dry season, the island is regularly blown by northeast trade winds, however, Barbados suffers surprisingly little from tropical storms.
Agriculture and fishing
The sugar industry has long been the backbone of Barbados economy and sugar cane is still the single most important crop. However, the significance has diminished over a longer period and investments are instead made primarily on vegetables for domestic consumption.
CountryAAH: Comprehensive import regulations of Barbados. Covers import prohibitions and special documentation requirements for a list of prohibited items.
Since the EU liquidated its domestic sugar quotas at the end of 2017, European imports from countries such as Barbados are expected to decline sharply. The government has plans to find new sugar products and new markets, but the future of the industry is uncertain. Sugarcane cultivation has already become less profitable for a long number of years. Production costs have often been higher than export earnings, making financial contributions to the sugar industry necessary to keep it alive.
The sugar is also produced from rum, which has become a far more important export product than the sugar itself. For Barbados defense and foreign policy, please check themotorcyclers.
The decline in sugar production has led to previously cultivated areas growing again. The Ministry of the Environment noted in 2010 that Barbados was one of the few countries in the world where the forest as a proportion of the area increased, without planting.
Other crops that are grown include sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados and bananas. But large quantities of vegetables and fruits need to be imported to meet the need. However, the country is practically self-sufficient for chicken and milk products.
The soil is nutritious but one problem is that the soil layer is thin due to erosion, which is an obstacle to cultivation. The opportunity to invest in new crops is also hampered by the fact that the water supply on the island is not sufficient for more extensive irrigation. It usually rains enough for existing agriculture but sometimes severe drought occurs.
Offshore, fish are predominantly fishing, which is an important part of the diet in Barbados.
FACTS – AGRICULTURE
Agriculture’s share of GDP
1.4 percent (2016)
Percentage of land used for agriculture
23.3 percent (2016)
Abbreviationfinder.org: Offers how the 3-letter acronym of BRB stands for the state of Barbados in geography.
