Citrus season launches in South Australia

The ‘zest’-ive season has arrived for SA-grown oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits, as citrus season gets underway across the state.

Citrus fruits generally hit their peak in the colder months, offering South Australians fresh opportunities to enjoy the likes of premium Riverland navel oranges.

The latest Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) industry scorecard shows international demand for SA citrus is growing. Export value for SA citrus fruits increased 5 per cent last year, generating $132 million for the state’s economy from the sale of more than 70,000 tonnes.

However, the domestic market remains a key area for the state’s citrus sector, generating $263 million from the supply of 109,000 tonnes for both whole-fruit sales and juice processing.

Citrus SA and the industry-led Pick A Local, Pick SA! campaign are shining a spotlight on our state’s premium citrus produce, marking the change of seasons and fresh influx of citrus fruits to the wholesale market with a special 2026 SA Citrus Season Launch event at the Adelaide Central Market.

This event brings together growers from the Riverland and other regions to share their produce and knowledge with buyers, and will also feature Pick A Local, Pick SA! Brand Ambassador and MasterChef alumni Callum Hann who will demonstrate some of the creative and tasty ways citrus fruits can be used in cooking.

The Malinauskas Government is proud to work with Citrus SA through PIRSA and supports the Pick A Local, Pick SA! campaign’s aim of encouraging all South Australians to buy South Australian grown fruit and vegetables.