Australian navel orange exports are on track to leave for the US next week, according to grower Sevenfields. “We’re just waiting for the fruit to get the right colour. We’re expecting the first shipment to arrive during the first week of July says Sevenfields Head of Marketing Brett Jackson. “It works out well because the fruit will be cold treated, which it has to be anyway because we’re in Victoria, for three weeks while on board.” The sea freight shipment will take about 25 days to reach its destination. The size should be what importers are looking for, 40 to 48 count, according to Mr Jackson.
There are also a few exciting varieties that are producing exceptional eating quality and colour, according to Citrus Australia Market Development manager, Andrew Harty. “Washington navels are a mainstay of the category, and will make up the bulk of the shipments over the summer,” he says. “More recently an excellent early navel variety called M7 has been selected, and the first significant crops of this sweet, early variety are now being harvested.” Cara Cara is another variety that looks good for the destination market with an appealing red flesh and mellow taste, according to him. “Supply always exceeds demand with Caras. So buyers need to get in early.”
Receivers in the US will be able to be more creative in their marketing efforts this season, too, as there is no longer a ‘single desk’ importer arrangement. This approach worked well for the industry up until 2013, Mr Harty says, however now importers will have more diverse opportunities for marketing. “Our receiver in the US will be doing a bit of marketing,” says Mr Jackson. “There’s a bit of an affinity over there for Australian grown produce, and eating and external quality is very similar to what you get in California.”
The new system also bodes well if recent successful mango exports are anything to go by, where customers are reportedly buying the ‘Australian grown’ label, rather than selecting based on which variety they have chosen.
The bright outlook for exports will also boost the bottom line for Sevenfields. “Depending on pricing this year exports like this to the US will be a good percentage of what we do. In the domestic market the Australian dollar has fallen away, but when we’ve got enough to export that will even things out,” Says Mr Jackson.
For more information
Andrew Harty, Market Development Manager
Citrus Australia
Phone: +614 10 746 374
Website: www.citrusaustralia.com.au
Brett Jackson, Head of Marketing
Sevenfields
Phone: +61438089952
E-mail: brett.jackson@sevenfields.com.au
Website: www.sevenfields.com.au