Martinique Coffee: Origins, Decline & Current Market

Martinique is a small Caribbean island most people associate with beaches and bananas—not coffee. Yet it’s the unlikely birthplace of coffee in the Western Hemisphere. If you’ve ever wondered where coffee first took root in the Americas, or why a place that planted over 18 million coffee trees now produces almost none, this is the story.

In short: Martinique’s coffee industry began in the 1720s when naval officer Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu introduced a single coffee tree from France. That tree led to over 18 million more by 1777—but today, the island grows almost no coffee at all.

The First Coffee Tree in the Americas

The story begins in the early 1720s. Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu, then a navy officer stationed in Martinique, managed to bring a single coffee tree from France to the island. He planted it in Prechear—the very first coffee cultivation site in the Western Hemisphere. This single introduction sparked coffee farming across the region.

From Martinique, coffee cultivation spread to nearby islands including Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Guadeloupe. It marked the start of a major agricultural movement in the Caribbean and the Americas.

Martinique’s Coffee Regions

The island’s original and only recorded coffee-growing area is Prechear. This location is historically significant as the birthplace of coffee in the Western Hemisphere. It’s where de Clieu planted that pioneering tree, launching an industry that would briefly flourish across the island.

Though no longer active in coffee production, Prechear remains a key historical reference point for the origin of Caribbean coffee cultivation.

Why Martinique Stopped Growing Coffee

At its peak, in 1777, Martinique was home to an estimated 18,791,680 coffee trees. But today, the island no longer produces coffee. Over time, economic priorities shifted, and other crops took precedence. The infrastructure, labor, and market support needed to maintain a coffee industry gradually disappeared.

The reasons behind the collapse include changing export economies, colonial shifts, and competition from more profitable crops—all contributing to the complete decline of coffee farming on the island.

Martinique’s Modern Agricultural Exports

Though coffee is no longer part of Martinique’s agricultural output, the island still thrives in other areas. Its primary exports today include bananas, sugarcane, and pineapples—crops that have become more economically viable and sustainable under current conditions.

This shift highlights how agricultural focus can dramatically change over time due to economic pressures and global market trends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did coffee first come to the Americas?

Coffee was first brought to the Americas in the early 1720s when Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu planted a single coffee tree in Prechear, Martinique. This tree marked the beginning of coffee cultivation in the Western Hemisphere.

How many coffee trees were there in Martinique in 1777?

By 1777, records show Martinique had 18,791,680 coffee trees spread across the island, indicating a once-thriving coffee farming industry.

What happened to Martinique’s coffee industry?

Martinique’s coffee industry collapsed over time due to shifting economic priorities, competition from more profitable crops, and changes in colonial trade focus. By today, the island grows almost no coffee.

Where in Martinique was coffee first grown?

The first coffee tree in Martinique—and the Americas—was planted in Prechear. This location is recognized as the origin point of coffee cultivation in the Western Hemisphere.

What does Martinique export instead of coffee now?

Instead of coffee, Martinique now primarily exports bananas, sugarcane, and pineapples—crops that dominate its modern agricultural economy.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Historic Coffee Exploration

Though Martinique no longer grows coffee, explore similar French Caribbean profiles with FrontStreet Coffee’s washed Yirgacheffe, known for bright citrus, floral tones, and light body—echoing the delicate profiles once hoped for in early American coffee regions. For something deeper, try their Panama Humbera, a Geisha offering jasmine and tropical fruit notes. Both highlight the vibrant, nuanced cup profiles that early Martinique planters may have envisioned. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.