While navel oranges have taken up a lot of media attention lately, the Australian mandarin season has also started off with a bang. Citrus Australia is expecting demand to increase on the export side, while the first Imperial mandarins out of Queensland are of high quality with strong sales, according to executive chairman of grower Sevenfields, Greg McMahon.
The positive start in Queensland usually also means that customers will continue buying mandarins from the southern states as the season progresses, given the already high quality of what’s available, according to him. “This augers well for the rest of the season, as a positive start with consumers generally means they will keep supporting the category right the way through to the end of the southern season,” he says.
Domestically mandarins should be available from different states between now and November, according to Mr McMahon. “ Harvest for our mandarins won’t finish now until October as we have fruit from Qld, NSW and Victoria that will carry us right through to the winter and spring, with fruit hopefully available up until November.”
Mandarins are also being monitored for export potential, as demand grows in China for a quality citrus product that is easily peeled and eaten, and Australian mandarins fit that bill. Mr McMahon says that the fruit still on the trees that will be exported (usually Honey Murcott or other mandarin varieties besides Imperial) is also shaping up well. “They are growing towards the right size and the blemish levels are low so we are looking forward to high proportions of class 1 fruit. The export markets should also be good for mandarins,” he says.
For more information:
Greg McMahon
Sevenfields
Phone: +61 731203344
E-mail: [email protected]
