Australia’s citrus industry readies for record volumes

Last year saw Australia’s citrus industry celebrate a return to form following a number of challenging years. 

“The industry sentiment was pretty positive [at the Australian Citrus Congress in March] both for the Congress itself but also as we reflected on the 2024 season,” says Citrus Australia CEO, Nathan Hancock. “Things had improved significantly in terms of fruit quality and there was pretty strong demand for citrus through 2024 both domestically and in export.”

As the industry prepares for the upcoming 2025 season, signs are suggesting record export volumes might be on the cards. 

“We haven’t seen that biennial bearing pattern, it seems to be another strong production year,” says Hancock. “I think we are perhaps set for a new record in terms of export volume.”

The current record was set in 2019 when citrus exports exceeded 304,000 tonnes at a value of $A548mn. This was double the volume exported in 2011. In 2024 exports almost reached record levels again with 303,000 tonnes of fruit exported and, according to Hancock, 2025 could see this number grow again.  

“Our production base has been growing, and I think the quality is there this season,” he says. “[When we met in March] growers already had a good sense that the conditions during spring and summer were very favourable, and things look pretty set up for a positive 2025 season.” 

This was certainly the case for Premier Fresh Australia, which grows in Australia’s Sunraysia region. 

“It’s been a pretty dry, warm spring and summer which was really good,” says executive general manager – avocado, citrus, grapes international and stonefruit, Frank Frappa.  “Overall, at this stage it’s looking quite positive. Volumes look to be up compared to last year, Brix is higher – which means you’ll get a sweeter piece of fruit – size seems to be up as well, so we should be in that optimum range for export.”

Hancock says this improved quality is crucial for sustaining profitability as volumes grow. 

“I really stressed at the congress that we must focus on not just producing more tonnes but producing more quality too,” he says. 

“Our competitors in the Southern Hemisphere have got it in spades in terms of volume. They definitely have a lot more to work with than Australia does and so our focus, as growers and as the supply chain, should be to produce and protect the quality from the orchard right through to the final customer.” 

And this year seems to be measuring up to the test. 

“There’s a lot of optimism around the fruit quality, size and flavour,” says Pinnacle Fresh marketing manager, Daniel Newport. “I think growers across the country are going to get a higher percentage of Class 1 than last year, and definitely the two years before that.”

Newport says the ideal weather, including low winds throughout summer and autumn, has kept fruit visually clean as well as boosting flavour. 

“Let’s just hope that [Australia] can sell enough fruit to move through the large crops we have.” 

Though with a strong customer base in North America, Newport isn’t worried. 

“North America for Pinnacle Fresh and Dracula citrus is our biggest market by landslide,” he says. 

Hancock, too, feels confident in the demand for Australian citrus. 

“We’re hearing really positive signs from domestic and export markets,” he says. “Customers from all our key markets throughout Asia are talking about supply and setting up programmes.”

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