orange called the Cara Cara Navel. In all,
there are about 40 different types of Navels
in Australia, but about 300 in the world.”The local market
According to Hort Innovation, during the
2018 orange season, which came to a close
in June, more than 526,000 tonnes were
harvested. The total value of the harvest
increased by 12 per cent, rising to $373
million. Export volumes increased to 190,000
tonnes and their value grew by 25 per cent.
Nationwide, oranges were the third-largest
export product for Australian agriculture,
only behind almonds and table grapes.
Navel oranges represented 87 per
cent of the total orange production, with
a production peak in the middle of the
Australian winter. The summer Valencia
orange accounted for only 13 per cent of the
total harvest and 42 per cent of all oranges
were intended for the processing industry.
Australia exports to more than 40
destinations. The leading consumers for
Australian citrus are Hong Kong, Japan, China,
the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.Growing and harvesting
“Citrus is fairly hardy in all types of soil, as
long as the plant has the right rootstock for
each type of soil. In other words, the soil
and the rootstock have to be compatible.
So, a rootstock that is compatible with a
loamy soil might not be compatible with a
clay soil,” Mario explains. “Water is number
one and nearly all that a citrus tree needs
to produce top fruit. In addition, winter fruit
such as navels and mandarins need frosts
as the frost sweetens the fruit. As a rule, one
acre [0.4 hectares] of citrus trees need four
megalitres of water per year [four millionlitres]. We irrigate from the Murray River
weekly. Less irrigation will result in a drier
fruit. Fertilisers are also important as food
to the trees, soil and fruit. We use fertilisers
rich in NPK, that is nitrogen, phosphorous
and potassium. Then, other elements such
as calcium, magnesium and manganese
are also required, according to leaf and soil
test analyses. Oranges can be sensitive to
adverse weather such as hailstorms, under-
or over-irrigation, some pests if not treated
(especially the fruit fly), gall wasps, fungi
and continued drought.
“We always plant our trees in spring and
summer; as the ground is warmer, the roots
absorb the water easier.”
The orange harvest comes in two parts.
Navels are harvested in winter and some
new varieties continue even longer (May to
December). Valencias are the summer fruit
and are harvested between September and
June. Valencia skin will turn a green colour in
the summer, as a natural protection against
sun damage. Some people are put off by the
greenish skin tint and instead buy Californian
navels during this season.
“Harvesting is manual at Orange World,”
Mario says. “Pickers will pick from the
ground and use ladders if oranges are too
high. The pickers carry a picking bag made ofstrong cloth and then transfer the fruit into a
bin [a plastic box about a cubic metre]. That
bin weighs well over 400 kilograms. A forklift
driver will then take that bin for packing into
boxes according to sizes and in patterns.”Preparation and uses
Mario suggests that oranges are a highly
adaptable fruit when it comes to their use
in the kitchen. “I recommend eating them
whole, as orange juice, as orange sauce, in
your salad, as dried slices (with the skin)
dipped in chocolate, and with chicken,
especially the famous duck a l’orange!”
Mario continues, “Don’t forget that oranges
bought at the supermarket might have been
picked quite a while ago, so if they are in the
kitchen, with lights and warmth, cells of the
skin might start to affect the quality of the fruit.
Store them in the fridge or in dark, cool place.”
Oranges can add a tart element to creamy
cheeses in platters, with Seville and blood
oranges the ideal partners. They are also
popular in cakes, slices and tarts for their
bright colour and ability to combine well with
both sweet and savoury flavours.
Duncan Donald, of Ternary Tuckshop cafe
in Melbourne’s Richmond, prefers to use
oranges in a healthy, nourishing salad.
He says, “Try a Moroccan salad combining
four oranges, a drizzle of lemon juice,
a crushed garlic clove, 600 grams drained
and rinsed chickpeas (canned is fine),
wedges of cooked beetroot, five finely sliced
radishes and some baby spinach all tossed
into a big bowl for self-serving.”Cat Woods is a Melbourne journalist. She
founded Ballet Sculpt and teaches this class,
yoga and pilates and is also a blogger. Her
website is catwoods.meValencias are a summer fruit
and are harvested between
September and June.“Citrus is fairly hardy in all
types of soil, as long as the
plant has the right rootstock
for each type of soil.”EatWell | 119EWL026_118-119 Meet Maker Oranges-PR.indd 119EWL026_118-119 Meet Maker Oranges-PR.indd 119 8/1/2019 11:17:45 AM8/1/2019 11:17:45 AMorangecalledtheCaraCaraNavel.Inall,
thereareabout 40 differenttypesofNavels
inAustralia,butabout 300 intheworld.”Thelocalmarket
AccordingtoHortInnovation,duringthe
2018 orangeseason,whichcametoa close
inJune,morethan526,000tonneswere
harvested.Thetotalvalueoftheharvest
increased by 12 per cent, rising to $373
million. Export volumes increased to 190,000
tonnes and their value grew by 25 per cent.
Nationwide, oranges were the third-largest
export product for Australian agriculture,
only behind almonds and table grapes.
Navel oranges represented 87 per
cent of the total orange production, with
a production peak in the middle of the
Australian winter. The summer Valencia
orange accounted for only 13 per cent of the
total harvest and 42 per cent of all oranges
were intended for the processing industry.
Australia exports to more than 40
destinations. The leading consumers for
Australian citrus are Hong Kong, Japan, China,
the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.Growing and harvesting
“Citrus is fairly hardy in all types of soil, as
long as the plant has the right rootstock for
each type of soil. In other words, the soil
and the rootstock have to be compatible.
So, a rootstock that is compatible with a
loamy soil might not be compatible with a
clay soil,” Mario explains. “Water is number
one and nearly all that a citrus tree needs
to produce top fruit. In addition, winter fruit
such as navels and mandarins need frosts
as the frost sweetens the fruit. As a rule, one
acre [0.4 hectares] of citrus trees need four
megalitres of water per year [four millionlitres]. We irrigate from the Murray River
weekly. Less irrigation will result in a drier
fruit. Fertilisers are also important as food
to the trees, soil and fruit. We use fertilisers
rich in NPK, that is nitrogen, phosphorous
and potassium. Then, other elements such
as calcium, magnesium and manganese
are also required, according to leaf and soil
test analyses. Oranges can be sensitive to
adverse weather such as hailstorms, under-
or over-irrigation, some pests if not treated
(especially the fruit fly), gall wasps, fungi
and continued drought.
“We always plant our trees in spring and
summer; as the ground is warmer, the roots
absorb the water easier.”
The orange harvest comes in two parts.
Navels are harvested in winter and some
new varieties continue even longer (May to
December). Valencias are the summer fruit
and are harvested between September and
June. Valencia skin will turn a green colour in
the summer, as a natural protection against
sun damage. Some people are put off by the
greenish skin tint and instead buy Californian
navels during this season.
“Harvesting is manual at Orange World,”
Mario says. “Pickers will pick from the
ground and use ladders if oranges are too
high. The pickers carry a picking bag made ofstrong cloth and then transfer the fruit into a
bin [a plastic box about a cubic metre]. That
bin weighs well over 400 kilograms. A forklift
driver will then take that bin for packing into
boxes according to sizes and in patterns.”Preparation and uses
Mario suggests that oranges are a highly
adaptable fruit when it comes to their use
in the kitchen. “I recommend eating them
whole, as orange juice, as orange sauce, in
your salad, as dried slices (with the skin)
dipped in chocolate, and with chicken,
especially the famous duck a l’orange!”
Mario continues, “Don’t forget that oranges
bought at the supermarket might have been
picked quite a while ago, so if they are in the
kitchen, with lights and warmth, cells of the
skin might start to affect the quality of the fruit.
Store them in the fridge or in dark, cool place.”
Oranges can add a tart element to creamy
cheeses in platters, with Seville and blood
oranges the ideal partners. They are also
popular in cakes, slices and tarts for their
bright colour and ability to combine well with
both sweet and savoury flavours.
Duncan Donald, of Ternary Tuckshop cafe
in Melbourne’s Richmond, prefers to use
oranges in a healthy, nourishing salad.
He says, “Try a Moroccan salad combining
four oranges, a drizzle of lemon juice,
a crushed garlic clove, 600 grams drained
and rinsed chickpeas (canned is fine),
wedges of cooked beetroot, five finely sliced
radishes and some baby spinach all tossed
into a big bowl for self-serving.”Cat Woods is a Melbourne journalist. She
founded Ballet Sculpt and teaches this class,
yoga and pilates and is also a blogger. Her
website is catwoods.meValencias are a summer fruit
and are harvested between
September and June.
“Citrus is fairly hardy in all
types of soil, as long as the
plant has the right rootstock
for each type of soil.”EatWell | 119