During the period of Dutch occupation, from 1642 to 1661, sugar-refining techniques were introduced from Fukien province across the Taiwan Straits, and sugar became a major export item.
荷蘭人佔據台灣時，製作蔗糖的技術，已經由大陸傳來台灣，蔗糖在當時已是出口貿易的大宗。