The World's First Steam-powered Warship

It was already late March. Given the utterly chaotic fighting in the Caribbean Sea, Sugar Cane planting was definitely out of the question this year.

Joseph could not help recalling the Sugar Beet cultivation report the Minister of Agriculture had submitted a few days earlier.

The Agricultural Consulting Service Company had already signed a Contracting Agreement with the church. Large tracts of church land had begun switching to Sugar Beet cultivation. At present, Sugar Beet planting in France had reached 37,000 hectares, with nearly another 10,000 hectares still clearing away previously planted Grain. They would be able to plant Sugar Beet within a month at most.

France had the world's most suitable climate and soil for growing Sugar Beet, so its planting season was exceptionally broad. Even planting in early May could ensure a bountiful harvest.

This year, Sugar Cane in the Caribbean Sea was bound to suffer a severe crop failure. By then, all of Europe would likely have to rely on French Sugar Beet to eat sugar. As for whether a pound of sugar sold for three Francs or five Francs, that truly depended entirely on his mood.

Joseph then thought of the Caribbean Sea's future political landscape.

Given the current situation, the major islands achieving independence was an inevitable outcome. In fact, because the Caribbean Sea was far from the European Continent and difficult to control, even without his advance push, an independence fever would sweep through the region in another decade or so.

Then France might as well follow the tide, take the lead in recognizing the independent status of the Caribbean Nations, and gain as much political benefit from it as possible.

In truth, if handled properly, many Colonies would still remain under the former colonial power's control to a considerable extent even a century