Citrus New Zealand announced the country will have “one of the best quality and tastiest seasons we’ve had in years.”

Chairman Wayne Hall announced Monday that the fruit is already available in supermarkets. 

“The quality this year will be outstanding. We had a difficult season last year obviously with the wet weather. But this year we’ve had a hot East Coast summer and Northland has had good growing conditions as well,” Hall said.

Hall added that Satsuma mandarins, Navel oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and tangelos will all have excellent quality this season and will be available in great volume.

 This season will be “the complete opposite” of 2023 when Cyclone Gabrielle badly affected crops in Gisborne, where 70% of citrus fruit is grown, the release said. 

Last year, the country declared a state of emergency in February after Cyclone Gabrielle left people displaced, caused mudslides and flooded some of the country's orchards, affecting mainly kiwifruit. 

Encouraging local consumption

New Zealanders are being encouraged to “think outside the box” in terms of how to consume citrus. 

Dr. Carolyn Lister, researcher with 5+ A Day, says one serving of citrus can provide up to 179% of your daily vitamin C needs, support immunity and deliver a range of other health benefits. 

She adds that 5+ A Day research shows only 23% of New Zealanders eat the recommended daily intake of vegetables and just 71% eat enough fruit.

According to Citrus NZ, the country produces 30,000 tons of citrus per year, with Japan and the U.S. as the main export markets.

However, most of the production is sold locally. The export market in 2022 reached a value of $5.9 million. 

Related article: New Zealand declares national state of emergency as Cyclone Gabrielle hits