Australia's citrus industry is predicting a significant rise in 2011/12 volumes over the prior season as growing regions recover from years of drought and recent extreme weather events.
National citrus growers' organisation Citrus Australia expect navel and valencia oranges, as well as mandarins, to be in 'plentiful supply' this year.
'Last year we had an unusually light crop with jumbo-sized oranges,' Citrus Australia CEO Judith Damiani said. 'This year we will return to average crop and sizes, which is great news for our international customers and Australian consumers.'
Good volumes of fresh new season lemons are now on-stream, she said. Mandarins will arrive later this month (April), and sweet navel oranges should be available in late May, Ms Damiani added.
'This outlook is promising for the export of Australian citrus, as a recent forecast for Southern Hemisphere production and exports of oranges and mandarins is down on last year,' Ms Damiani said.
'Though we will battle with a very strong Australian dollar and increased quarantine treatment costs, our export outlook is very solid.'
Citrus Australia represents some 2,000 citrus growers.
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