ABSTRACT
Of all Spanish activities agriculture probably had the most pervasive effects on Indian life. It developed to supply the needs of the domestic market and to support trade through the province, although it also provided some products, such as indigo, tobacco and hides, for export to Spain. Agricultural development suffered considerably from shortages of labor and capital. From 1549 Indians were no longer required to perform labor services for their encomenderos and the repartimiento was introduced with the aim of ensuring a supply of labor for all approved tasks. These tasks included most agricultural activities, but work in sugar mills and indigo works was banned. Although agriculture in Honduras was dominated by livestock production, at times a number of commercial crops, such as indigo and tobacco, were produced for export, whilst wheat and maize were grown for the domestic market. These crops were produced in different regions of the country and they made different demands on Indian lands and labor.
