Fend of the winter blues with Aussie citrus

Australian citrus production began in 1787 when the English first fleet set sail under instructions to introduce plants and seeds for sustainable horticulture. Lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit and mandarins were planted in and around Sydney and formed the basis of the home-grown citrus fruits Australians love today!

Fast forward to 2021 and more than 28,000 hectares of citrus are grown by about 2000 farmers, every year, in almost every state and territory!

More than just pretty face!

Australian citrus fruits not only look fresh and bright, they have amazing health benefits! Aussie mandarins, oranges and limes, are packed with Vitamin C and rich in antioxidants and just what the doctor ordered to help ward off miserable winter colds!

The lunchbox winner!

Mandarins are available from April to October and are predominately grown in Queensland. The most popular variety is imperial and it’s easy to see why: with little-to-no seeds and a mild sweet flavour, this easy to peel variety is the perfect on-the-go snack or lunchbox filler.

Naval grazing

The naval orange is Australia’s most popular orange variety and is produced in three southern growing regions: the Murray Valley, the NSW Riverina and the Riverland of South Australia. With a sweet and juicy flavour, navels make a great halftime sporting pick-me-up and should be the go-to for your freshly squeezed breakfast OJ!

Lemon lesson

Although available all year round, Australian-grown lemons are predominately in season and readily available between June and August. Keep an eye out for firm to hold lemons at the supermarket – they’re the best to take home!

To learn more about the benefits of these citrus varieties, head to Citrus Australia.