Plantations

Fiji under British rule was well known for its sugar industry and while being the number one industry in Fiji for many years, it was not the only plantation industry established. Other plantations supported during colonial rule included cotton, copra, tea, banana and rubber.

The Colonial Sugar Refining Company Limited (CSR) acquired a monopoly as the miller and marketer of sugar in Fiji. With the end of the indentured system, CSR subdivided the plantations and leased mostly 10 acre farms to Indian tenants. Other Indians leasing Native, State-owned or freehold land were sub-contracted. CSR held absolute control over production of sugar by both tenant and contract farmers, dictating both the amount of cane grown and the price paid for it.