Oranges Growth and Production in Australia (2020)

Introduction

Oranges, a citrus fruit commonly consumed by Australians, are renowned for their Vitamin C content. However, there are other great nutrients that are seldom mentioned. Interestingly, these fruits have the highest content of antioxidants when compared to other fruits. Oranges are not prone to spoilage after harvest. Hence, they can be stored at room temperature or even in the refrigerator. This low maintenance fruit is used in various recipes due to its unique taste. Nonetheless, a great percentage of the population prefer to eat it in its rawest form.

Overview and Statistics of Oranges

Most of this fruit is grown predominantly in the southern section of the nation. Most of the market is dominated by Navel oranges and Valencia oranges. The former is available in the winter, while the latter is found during the summer months.

As of June 2020:

1. The supply per capita was 5.1 kg, based on the volume supplied.
2. 62% of Australians were sure to purchase this fresh fruit for their retail supplier. They bought an average of 1.2 kg per shopping trip.
3. 511,345 tonnes of oranges were produced and valued at $414.7 million. A great percentage of this fruit was sent to be processed.
4. The wholesale value of the fresh supply was $177.1 million. Out of this $149 million was sent for retail services and the rest was used for food service.

Major Oranges Production Areas

Some of the major areas where this fruit is produced are the Riverina, Murray Valley and the Riverland region.

Available Variants

As mentioned before, there are two major variants of oranges that are flooded in the market. They are:

1. Navel oranges are predominantly produced for the fresh market. 87% of the total production consists of this particular fruit.
2. Valencia oranges are available during the summer months. Nonetheless, they are majorly used for the juicing market.