When Are Mandarins in Season in Australia?
Mandarins are in season in Australia from April to October, with peak winter supply and different varieties carrying the season.
Australian mandarins are in season from April to October. The real peak is May through August, when supply is highest and quality is most consistent. Queensland ships the first fruit in April. Southern growing regions carry the season through winter and into spring.
Virtually every mandarin sold in Australia is locally grown. Imports run under 1,000 tonnes per year. The season lines up with the northern hemisphere’s off-season, which is why Australian fruit is exported across Asia at the same time it fills our own shops.
Month by month
April. Queensland Imperial mandarins arrive first. Early fruit from Gayndah and Mundubbera hits Sydney and Brisbane markets from late April. Skin is tight and colour is full orange. Weight is the best guide at this point.
May. Peak Queensland supply. Imperial mandarins are plentiful and at their sweetest. This is the best month to buy Imperials. Afourer also starts appearing in better greengrocers.
June. Full mid-season. Imperial, Afourer, Hickson, and Daisy are all available. Supply is strong across all states. Prices tend to be at their lowest for the year.
July. Mid to late season overlap. Hickson and Daisy are at their best. Afourer is deep red-orange and very juicy. Honey Murcott starts appearing late in the month.
August. Honey Murcott is in full supply. Afourer continues. Sumo Citrus is available at Woolworths stores around this time.
September. Late season. Honey Murcott and Afourer are still on shelves. In Western Australia, Afourer runs through to October or November.
October. The tail of the season. Honey Murcott carries supply in most states. Quality and availability vary more at this point.
Variety season calendar
| Variety | Peak window | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Imperial | April to June | Early, easy peel, low seed, sweet-tart |
| Hickson | June to August | Mid-season, large, good flavour |
| Daisy | July to August | Mid-season, medium-large, glossy skin |
| Afourer | May to October | Deep red-orange, juicy, low seed |
| Honey Murcott | July to October | Late, very sweet, higher seed count |
| Sumo Citrus | August to September | Large, seedless, Woolworths exclusive |
Early season: Imperial
Imperial is Australia’s most recognised mandarin. It originated as a chance hybrid at a New South Wales orchard around 1890 and remains one of the most planted varieties. The skin is thin, smooth, and easy to peel. Seed count is low. Flavour is sweet with a clean citrus tang.
Queensland Imperials are the first to market in April. Southern-grown fruit from the Murray Valley, Riverina, and Riverland follows through May and June. By July, Imperial supply starts to wind down as mid-season varieties take over.
One thing to know: Imperial skin loosens as the fruit matures. A slightly puffy Imperial is not necessarily past its best. Judge by weight, not tightness. Heavy fruit has juice. Light fruit is dry.
See the full Imperial mandarin profile for variety details.
Mid season: Hickson and Daisy
Hickson originated near Roma in Queensland. The fruit is larger than Imperial, with a slight neck at the stem end and a smooth yellowish-orange rind. Flesh is juicy with good flavour. Seed count is around 12 to 15. Hickson is a mid-season mandarin, available from June through August.
Daisy is a medium to large mid-season variety with a deep orange, glossy rind. It is moderately seeded with one to three seeds per segment. Flavour is sweet with good juice. Daisy runs July to August and holds quality well late into its window.
Both varieties appear at greengrocers and some farmers markets during winter but are rarely labelled by name at supermarkets.
See the Hickson and Daisy pages for more.
Late season: Honey Murcott and Afourer
Afourer is now Australia’s highest-produced mandarin by volume. It is a Moroccan chance seedling (also known as Nadorcott) that entered Australian quarantine in the 1990s and went into commercial production around 2000. The skin is deep red-orange, thin, and easy to peel. Flesh is very juicy with a rich, sweet flavour. Seed count is low to moderate depending on cross-pollination from nearby orchards. Afourer peaks June through August and runs to October in some regions.
Honey Murcott is Australia’s second most-produced mandarin by volume. It is the late season option that keeps supply going well into spring. Juice content is high and brix levels are among the highest of any commercial variety. The name reflects the honey-like sweetness. The trade-off is a tighter skin, higher seed count (typically 10 to 20 seeds), and a shorter window for easy peeling. Honey Murcott runs July to October, with some growers shipping into November.
See the Afourer and Honey Murcott pages for more.
By state and region
Queensland produces around 50 per cent of Australia’s mandarin crop. The Central Burnett region, including Gayndah and Mundubbera, is the main early-season source. Queensland fruit is the first to market each April and May.
New South Wales contributes around 16 per cent of national production, mainly from the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) and the Riverina.
Victoria is similar in volume, with Sunraysia as the main growing area.
South Australia has significant production in the Riverland, centred around Berri and Loxton.
Western Australia runs a longer season than the eastern states. WA mandarins are picked from April to November, with Afourer and Honey Murcott still available into October and beyond. Main growing areas are north and south of Perth and further north around Carnarvon and Kununurra.
When the season ends
Supply gets thinner from late October. By November, most mainstream varieties have finished. Some specialty or late-season varieties may still be available at farm gate or direct suppliers into November, particularly in WA.
Off season
From November to March, fresh Australian mandarins are not available. Options during this period include frozen segments (useful in smoothies), mandarin juice frozen into ice cube trays, and preserved forms such as mandarin marmalade or mandarin curd. Tinned mandarins in syrup are available year round and cost around $1.30 for a 310g can at both Coles and Woolworths.