The importance of sugarcane, once the main cash crop, has declined because many sugar mills have been closed because of inefficiency and high labor costs. Coffee grown under shade was once a prosperous enterprise, but hurricanes and labor problems have contributed to its decline. Pasture of native and improved grasses grown for dairy and beef enterprises is the main land use. Woodland, mostly unimproved, is widespread, especially on the humid uplands. Such food crops as plantains, bananas, yams, taniers, vegetables, and some citrus fruit and coconuts are grown.
Some unique farmland is used for growing pineapples and rice.
Urban developments, highways, and recreation sites are encroaching upon the better farmland, especially near the metropolitan areas. Most of this area is in farms. About 70 percent is pasture of improved forage and native grasses. Approximately 10 percent of the area is planted to coffee. Most of the coffee is grown in the shade, but some is grown in the sun.