This season’s great growing conditions are seeing satsuma mandarins in Kiwi stores two weeks earlier than previous years.
T&G Fresh, the largest citrus grower in New Zealand, started harvesting the fruit late last week in Northland. The company expects to sell approximately 50 million satsuma mandarins in Northland, Auckland and Gisborne regions, and will also export some of this season’s crop to Japan.
Over the last five year to seven years, satsuma mandarins have grown to become the largest volume citrus crop in New Zealand.
“It’s an impressive crop this year,” said T&G’s Regional Manager in Northland, Tom Chamberlain. The generous rainfall in early summer has produced juicy, sweet mandarins, with low acidity levels. Satsuma mandarins are seedless and easy to peel, making them a great snack providing high levels of vitamin C, with minerals and antioxidants.
