Harry Belafonte famously sang “daylight come, and me want to go home†is his Banana Boat Song, which implies that the workers have been picking bananas all night, and now that daytime has arrived they are ready to quit working.
But is it really true? Are bananas really picked at night?
Sure, some are!
While it’s not always true, some workers do pick bananas at night. There are 2 reasons for this: light and heat.
After bananas are picked, exposure to light ripens them faster. This is why picking them at night helps to keep them fresh for longer.
Also, in environments where bananas are grown it’s very hot. Working at night provides some relief from the scorching heat.