Citrus is one of the few produce lines that has welcomed recent heavy rain, with its bigger challenge this season coming from extreme heat. Elle Aggeletos of Venus Citrus says the rain "actually helped quite a bit", leaving the business well-positioned for a solid year.
While harvest is still a few weeks away, conditions are tracking positively.
© Venus Citrus
"Due to the severe heat we had, it got a little bit extreme, but overall it's looking pretty good," Aggeletos says. "It probably won't be as early as last year, but this year it seems to be back to normal."
Venus Citrus produces a broad range of fruit, including oranges, mandarins, lemons, and grapefruit, supplying both domestic and international markets. The business distributes across Australia through wholesalers in each state, while exports account for plenty of volume.
"At the moment it's probably split almost 50-50," Aggeletos says. "Half is export and half goes through domestic."
Export markets are concentrated in Asia, with fruit shipped to Japan, Vietnam, and Korea, and decent volumes to the United States. The company also has exposure to the Middle East and has been working to expand its presence there.
"We do a little bit into the UAE, and we were just at Gulfood in Dubai, so we're trying to tap into that market a little bit more," she says.
© Venus Citrus
However, the evolving situation around the conflict involving Iran is creating uncertainty for exporters, particularly in terms of shipping and costs.
"The repercussions are probably going to come a little bit later," Aggeletos says. "We're just going to have to see what happens."
Venus Citrus has been trialling laser branding technology from Natural Branding Australia, which marks fruit directly rather than using stickers.
"It's a really good idea," Aggeletos says. "I do like how it looks, and there's a sustainability aspect of it too."
Beyond aesthetics, she highlights the benefits of traceability, particularly in export markets where fruit can be mixed or misidentified.
"If it's just a sticker and that comes off, especially during shipping, you don't really know whose fruit it is," she says. "If it's got that branding on the actual fruit, people can be sure where it came from."
© Venus Citrus
The technology could also help reinforce provenance claims at the retail level.
"People can see, oh, that's Australian-grown fruit, I know where it's from," she says.
Despite the potential, Aggeletos says further development is needed before the system becomes commercially viable at scale. Speed remains a key limitation compared to existing labelling.
"The machines we've got now put stickers on in a second, whereas the laser does take a bit longer," she says. "Once the technology is a bit faster, it would be something we'd really look at."
That's something that's in the process of happening, according to Natural Branding Australia, and she is looking forward to developments.
Cost is another consideration, particularly given the industry's existing investment in labelling systems.
"We've got so much stock of stickers and machinery already set up," she says. "Changing over too quickly would be very expensive."
For now, Venus Citrus remains focused on the upcoming season, with strong fruit quality and steady export demand underpinning a positive outlook — even as global uncertainty continues to cast a shadow over international trade.
For more information:
Elle Aggeletos
Venus Citrus
Tel: +61 450 951 859
[email protected]
http://www.venuscitrus.com.au/
http://www.venuscitrus.com.au/
