sugar cane areas of just under 100 inches. Naturally rainfall is a most important deter-
minant of yields in those areas in which rainfall is on the average low. Rainfall is of
particular importance in Antigua, St. Kitts and Barbados. These facts are illustrated
in Table 4. 6. i, which also indicates that inadequate rainfall may have been of importance
in depressing yields in Jamaica.


 Table 4. 6. i

 Average yields of sugar cane and average rainfall,
 by territories, 1940-49 and 1950-59

 Average rainfall Average yield
 Territory (inches per year) (tons of sugar cane per acre)
 1940-1949 1950-1959 1940-1949 1950-1959


Antigua 41.52 43.83 15.65 19.59
Barbados 48.76 65.52 24.82 33.37
British Guiana 94.31 95.46 1/ 27.49 36.23
Jamaica 74.23 54.46 27.83 22.48
St. Kitts 55.37 55.82 26.92 30.55
Trinidad and Tobago 63.19 66.30 22.42 28.84

I/ Estimated.
Source: Data and material developed during the study and other available data.


 Historically the most important banana in the West Indies has been the gros michel.
But this banana is susceptible to Panama disease, which was identified in Jamaica in
1911, and has almost entirely disappeared as an export type. The lacatan is now the
main variety, and now represents 95.3 % of total exports from Jamaica.


 Other diseases which affect banana production are leaf spot and burrowing soil nema-
tode. These diseases are much more prevalent in Jamaica than in the Windward Islands,
due mainly to the run down nature of much of Jamaica's soils. Most of these diseases
are more easily controlled by spraying than is Panama disease. Leaf spot seriously re-
duces the effective lea' surface of the affected plant, and if allowed to go unchecked will
stunt the plant and result in lower grading or total rejection. Intensive spraying is neces-
sary, and in some flat areas orchard oil has been sprayed from light planes. This,
however, is impossible in most areas, and spraying must continue to be an important cost
of production in banana cultivation.

 In breeding of banana plants, a great deal of emphasis has been given to disease
control, but up to recent years the effect on weights and yields was marginal. Banana
types take many years to breed, but several new varieties are now under trial and it is
hoped that they will be more efficient in weights and more disease resistant.