Swaziland's economy relies greatly on their production of sugarcane. There are at least five majors "fields" of the plant, and processing "factories" to accompany them.
These great expanses of planted fields are far away from the two major cities, but towns have grown up around the fields, providing goods for the workers.
Unlike in the U.S. brown sugar is favored here and available more commonly than white (or highly refined) sugar.
4 comments:
Is sugarcane the only thing they grow? Do they grow corn or other grains?
Sandy Macaluso
Excellent questions Sandy Mac! I just bought the Swaziland Business Year Book 2008, which says that timber/pulp/paper are important to the Kingdom's export earnings, as well as citrus fruit, maize, cereals, cotton and livestock.
A large percent of the population relies on agriculture for survival -- 70% of the population grows their own food, and sells some of it in small fruit stands, which cen be seen everywhere. I will take some pics.
The south and eastern parts of the country have been suffering a severe drought for 5 years. This is not a problem for the large-scale enterprises such as the sugarcane plantations which are irrigated, but is adversely affecting people and animals who depend on rains.
I was shopping, just recently,I believe it was a blouse I was looking at and it had made in Swaziland. Do they export things like baskets? Made out of their grass or other reed type plants?
Sandy Mac
In addition to the factory and agricultural enterprises, Swaziland also relies on monies earned from tourism. There are quite a few prestigious hotels here, lots of excellent food, and many many stalls and shops filled with Swazi handmade items: Swazis are most known for their colorful basket weaving, for their printed cloths and for their candles! In addition, there is a well-known glass factory called Ngwena (which means crocodile) which makes elephants and the like out of handblown glass.
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