Citrus in Australia is benefiting from kinder growing conditions, favourable export conditions and smart promotional strategies. While limes don’t count for an awful lot of that activity, forming around 2% of Australia’s citrus production, the industry is becoming savvy enough to cultivate limes up to 8 months of the year in certain areas, namely Mareeba, and Dimbulah in Northern Queensland. “Through the winter months production comes from the southern inland regions. Australian growers want to produce limes outside the peak winter production times to achieve better market prices, so coastal and northern regions offer that opportunity” notes Nathan Hancock, Market Information and Quality Manager for Citrus Australia.
Lime growers from the far north of Queensland have seen an expansion of their industry, which is yet to be quantified. Citrus Australia visited that region recently and encouraged growers to participate in a tree census so that accurate numbers around that expansion can be supplied. While value added products, such as the commercial scale zesting machine developed by Suncoast Limes are highly encouraged, the best market prices are reserved for premium grade fresh product however, according to Mr Hancock. “Every grower has to think about their marketing opportunities, when are the peaks and troughs of supply, to determine best returns.”
Growers can also look for cost saving and innovation in their production systems, Mr Hancock says. “MAF Oceania have developed a speed packer for limes which significantly reduces the number of people required in the packing shed. Labour is one of the largest costs in citrus production in Australia.”
Export activity for navel oranges and mandarins, which has gained a lot of media attention, has not happened for limes because of biosecurity trade barriers, according to Mr Hancock. “Citrus Australia has been supportive of research to prove that hard green limes are not a host to fruit fly, always a major concern for potential importing countries.”
While the quality of most citrus is not affected by the well-proven cold treatment used to disinfest consignments of fruit fly, limes are far more cold sensitive, so other options need to be explored. “We’re very aware of barriers to trade and do what we can to help,” says Mr Hancock. “The industry needs export markets as production grows, and we’re working to make that happen, starting with a clearer understanding of the size of the lime industry through the tree census, then forming a strategy to tackle the various technical barriers to trade.”
