Where do all these bananas come from, and how do they get here? One source is Icelandic greenhouses, as the average temperature is about 27 °C (80°F) with up to 2,500 millimeters (98 inches) of rain per year; however, after nine months of growth, an additional two years is needed to ripen due to the low intensity of the sun.
The main source of exported bananas are large plantations in Latin America. As the main exporter of bananas, massive investments in technology and infrastructure are made, as the climate and intense sunlight is ideal for mass growth.
After bananas are grown and harvested they are transported in refrigerated ships called ‘reefers’. The transport takes 10 to 12 days on average to make the 4,500 mile journey to various European ports. The bananas are then transported at a temperature of 13.3 °C, in order to extend shelf life, and require careful handling throughout the entire process.
Once they arrived at their destination, they are placed in ripening rooms before being delivered to the market, where we can buy them. What a journey to ponder next time you buy a banana!
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