Answer:
The escalating need and want for sugar in Europe.
Explanation:
During the 17th century, tea and coffee became popular in Europe as they gained control over East India and colonized other Eastern Mediterranean countries from which they obtained lots of tea. Due to this there was a demand for sugar to sweeten these beverages as well as other food items. Â Additionally, with the more demand for tea brought the demand for cheap sweeteners such as sugar. Honey was primarily used for this purpose however it became rare, scare and too expensive for the Europeans to continuously purchase in large quantities. Sugar was also needed for the preservation of fruits to make jams and jellies. This all created the need for a new market of sugar and ideally the West Indies possessed the perfect tropical climate and soil type favorably suited for growing sugarcane. Furthermore, sugar was not bulky item, it carried a light weight which made it easier for transportation in small ships as opposed to tobacco. (P.S There is multiple reasons why but I feel that this one is most important.)