West India Committee

West India Committee
PredecessorThe London Society of West India Planters and Merchants
Formation1775; 249 years ago (1775)
TypeNGO
Websitewww.westindiacommittee.org

The West India Committee is a British-based organisation promoting ties and trade with the British Caribbean. It operates as a charity and NGO (non-governmental organisation). It evolved out of a lobbying group formed in 1780 to represent the interests of the plantocracy.

Historically, the principal commodities of the region were cane sugar, rum, mahogany, other softwood, spices and tropical produce, early on largely confined to types that would last a long transatlantic voyage such as coffee, nuts and desiccated coconut but later expanded to include tropical fruits in general.

The organisation describes itself as "the oldest body representative of the Commonwealth."[1]

  1. ^ "About us". The West India Committee. 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2023-12-26.