Contemporary Economic Structure

Today's French Caribbean economies rest on fragile foundations:

The Service Sector Dominance

Services account for 80-85% of GDP: - Public administration: Largest employer - Tourism: Growing but volatile - Retail: Mostly importing/distributing - Finance: Serving other sectors

"We've become societies of functionaries and shopkeepers," critiques entrepreneur Patrick Duchel. "Where's production? Where's innovation? We administer and sell what others make."

Agriculture's Decline

Once dominant, agriculture now contributes less than 5% of GDP:

Banana Production: Still significant in Guadeloupe and Martinique but facing: - EU quota changes - Environmental concerns (pesticide legacy) - Climate vulnerability - Labor shortages

Sugar: Mostly for rum production now - Few remaining distilleries - Heritage tourism potential - AOC rum commands premium prices

Diversification Efforts: Limited success - Tropical fruits for export - Flowers and ornamental plants - Organic farming initiatives - Agrotourism experiments

"Young people don't want to farm," laments André Agricole, whose family cultivated land for generations. "They see it as backwards, hard, unprofitable. But depending on imports is dangerous—COVID showed us that."

The Informal Economy

Official statistics miss substantial activity: - Street vendors and markets - Informal services (hair braiding, car repair, domestic work) - Subsistence farming and fishing - Remittances from diaspora

"My aunt sends money from Paris, I sell accras at the beach, my cousin fixes phones without receipts," describes Sandrine Léopold. "None of this appears in GDP, but it's how we survive."