Stronger orange crop underpins export figures

Stronger orange crop underpins export figures

21 January 2019

Australia is expected to export a similar amount of citrus in 2018 compared to the previous year, following the release of trade figures up until the end of November, 2018.
Australia has exported 247,000 tonnes of citrus to 30 November. The total value of Australian citrus exports was $A448 million.
Citrus Australia Market Development Manager, David Daniels, said export volumes to date were better than expected at the start of the year, due to a larger orange crop than first thought.
The slight decline in volume overall was attributed to a lighter mandarin crop from Queensland compared to 2017.
Key markets in 2018 were China, Japan, the USA, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
Fifty per cent of total orange exports and 30% of total mandarin exports went to China (90,500t).
Japan took 18% of orange exports, or almost 33,000 tonnes. Thailand was our second biggest market for mandarins, taking 12% or 7396t, while the USA took 10% of mandarins, or 6190t.
Exports to Vietnam continue to grow and Mr Daniels said it was becoming an important market for Australia.
“Vietnamese customers prefer slightly larger fruit, which complements fruit required in other markets,” he said.
“Demand in these smaller markets means further opportunities for Australian growers.”