When perseverance and hard work pays off...
At the end of the nineteenth century, the price of the Aloe Hard Gum (which was sold and exported to make laxatives) came down, and it became almost impossible to make any profit with this business. Not even to mention the hard work required by the farmers to make a sustainable living selling the hard gum in the first place. At this time, Curaçao and Bonaire ceased harvesting, and the farmers stopped maintaining their lands. However, in Aruba, the people continued to keep the Aloe fields and either sold the product with a loss or stocked the Aloe Hard Gum. The good news is this perseverance turned out to be a great gamble because prices came up again at the beginning of the next century in 1906, and the industry expanded quickly. During the following years, Aruba became the largest exporter of Aloe Hard Gum globally, earning its nickname the "Island of Aloes."
