Mandarins in June (Australia)
Mandarins in June in Australia: Imperial is at full peak, Hickson is in the mix, and supermarket prices ease as supply lifts.
June is the peak Imperial month in Australia. Supply is at its highest, supermarket prices ease, and farmers markets carry good Imperial mandarin volume. Hickson appears alongside Imperial in the second half of the month. This is the easiest month of the Australian mandarin season to buy well at any retailer.
What’s in season
- Imperial mandarin: full peak. Most fruit in nets at Coles and Woolworths is Imperial through June.
- Hickson mandarin: appears mid to late June. Tighter skin than Imperial, slightly later season, popular with commercial buyers.
- Early Daisy mandarin: small volumes from some districts.
Where it’s coming from
Central Burnett (Gayndah, Mundubbera) is still the main source, but Sunraysia, Riverland, and some Western Australian (Carnarvon) fruit appears at southern markets.
What to buy
June is the month to fill a fruit bowl with Imperials. Buy by the case if a household goes through them quickly. Use the picking guide for grading at the shop, and the storage guide for keeping a case at home.
What to cook
June Imperial works for cakes, syrups, and curds. It is workable for mandarin marmalades but a single-variety Imperial marmalade is less interesting than a later-season Honey Murcott marmalade. June is a good time to start candied mandarin peel for Christmas.