香蕉是一種富含蛋白與澱粉的水果。自 1910年代起，全台灣有八成的香蕉是主要產於台中地區的山坡地並外銷日本。霧峰的香蕉產量，在 1920年代盛產期間，約占台中地區總產量的 13-17%。由於台蕉深受日本民眾喜愛而具有高度經濟利益，台灣總督府遂介入香蕉產銷之相關合作組織。霧峰林家擁有龐大之土地、財富及地方勢力，亦投入此項農產品的產銷活動。就當時霧峰農民的勞動力效益分析，年收益蕉作比稻作高出 30-40圓，每個蕉農家庭月收入約 34圓，顯然高過基層公教人員的薪資。雖如此，但是稻作不必間隔五年休作，加上農民習慣以米價做為選擇農作類別考量，因此霧峰農家缺乏在平地水田種香蕉的意圖，直至 1943年後，台日船運受阻，兼之日治政府為軍需操控糧食生產，霧峰的蕉作因而快速沒落。

Banana is one of Taiwan’s famous fruit which is rich in protein and starch. Since 1910s, the hills side of Taichung County produced over 80% yield, which exported to Japan, of total banana production in Taiwan. During the harvest in 1920s, the yield for banana in Wu-Fang takes 13-17% proportion of Taichung County production. Because the banana cultivated in Taiwan was popular with Japanese, making it high economic profit, Taiwan Governor-General office thus helped farmers establish alliance clubs to carry out banana promotion. The Wu-Fang Lin’s family with great farmland, wealth and local strength attended the banana’s planting and promotion as well. According to the Wu-Fang analysis of efficiency between labor and agricultural profit , the annual profit of banana was 30-40￥more than that of rice. Families live on banana planting business could earn 34￥every month, the income of which is better than the salary in official organization. Because the shifting cultivation of banana and the consideration of rice price in agricultural society, the farmers in Wu-Fang had less intention to grow banana in flatlands. After the last period of the 2nd world war, the production of banana in Wu-Fang declined promptly as a result of the block of ship transport between Taiwan and Japan and of food control for military need by Japanese colonial government.