How did bananas become a major Jamaican export in the late 1800s?

In the latter part of the 19th century, the Jamaican economy shifted away from its traditional reliance on sugar exports. A key driver of this change was Captain Lorenzo Dow Baker, who initiated a lucrative banana trade on the island.1

Baker was the founder of the organization that eventually became the United Fruit Company. His efforts successfully established bananas as a principal export crop, benefiting both large estates and small-scale farmers across Jamaica.1