The Australian citrus industry experienced a record export season last year and is expected to grow by 10 per cent in 2017, according to Citrus Australia.
At the end of 2016, Australian export volumes topped 220,000 tonnes, valued about $328 million.
Citrus Australia chief executive officer Judith Damiani, Mildura, Vic, said increased navel orange and mandarin production in southern Australia and strong demand from China and Japan, had growers eager to start picking fruit this season.
But southern growers experienced a three-week delay to harvest because of an prolonged warm spring and autumn.
Ms Damiani said it caused extended flowering and a delay in fruit maturity of most varieties.
“Some citrus varieties had not produced as well as others in terms of size and the delay caused our overseas markets to be in great demand,” she said.
Navel orange production in southern Australia was up by 10pc because a low-yield crop last year and Australia-wide mandarin volumes are expected to increase by 30pc compared to last year.
Ms Damiani said export opportunities to China had driven increased plantations of citrus crops but Japan still remained SA’s largest market for navel oranges.
“China is Australia’s fastest growing market and we believe they will overtake Japan as the largest export market for navel oranges this year,” she said.
“The demand is so strong from China that growers have had limited fruit supplies and turned away contracts.”
Fourth-generation Bookpurnong grower Michael Ingerson has increased his Afourer mandarin production by 10 hectares each season since 2010, to supply the continued overseas demand.
“Because it is a long time between planting and a return on investment, we crystal-balled the demand of Australian citrus and in particular mandarins, and we are reaping the benefits,” he said.
Mr Ingerson exports 70pc of his 280ha citrus crop to Asia, the United States and New Zealand.
“The citrus industry grows a lot quicker than the domestic market can handle, so our export trade is very important,” he said.
“We are halfway through our harvest and yields are up easily by 50pc compared to last year.
“Last season was low yielding but this year, production has boomed and it has been backed up by demand.”
Mr Ingerson said the past three to four seasons had steady returns because of additional demand from China.
“China’s steady demand allowed other markets such as Japan, Singapore and Malaysia, to increase for us and I do not see it slowing,” he said.