When I grew up in the rural UP of Michigan, we could get citrus only during the Christmas holidays, and there were several other things that weren't available because they weren't grown or raised locally. However, bananas were always available, and they were always cheap. While I still don't know why they were available when oranges and grapefruit, wich are grown in the United States, were not. My best guess is that, unlike some other fruits, they could be picked green and easily shipped, without a lot of losses during transport, whereas other fruits would arrive damaged or rotted. I did look up some of the reasons for their affordability, however. Each banana is essentially a genetic clone of the other, which means they all look and weigh the same if they have been growing for the same amount of time. The uniformity makes them easy to pick and pack without the need for sorting. Bananas do not require pollination, which further reduces costs. The labor in producing bananas is significantly less than that required for other fruits. Banana plants are harvested once and then cut down, allowing new plants to grow in their place. This allows for reusing the land without extensive replanting efforts. Labor costs are low due to the import of underpaid labor. Minimal labor costs contribute to the overall affordability of bananas. Bananas are produced on a large scale, benefiting from economies of scale. The sheer volume of bananas consumed worldwide allows for efficient production and distribution. There are also historical factors. In the 19th century, American businessmen established banana plantations in tropical regions, such as Jamaica. These early banana barons secured large tax breaks from Central American governments in exchange for infrastructure improvements. The ties between these companies and Central American governments have persisted, leading to the term "banana republics." So, the affordability of bananas results from the combination of low labor costs, economies of scale, and monoculture farming practices.
People who are allergic to latex are often allergic to bananas (and avocados, chestnuts, passion fruits and kiwis.)
I know that foods can be fire-roasted in banana leaves, but I don't know if that's to impart flavor or if the leaves are fire-resistant.