We have listed the soft citrus varieties which we specialise in below, please enquire about other varieties and we will see whether we can source the products for you. Enter the sizes that your specific market requires for soft citrus and click on the "Add To Enquiry" link. Once you have added all the products that you are interested in click on Enquire Now and complete the required information in order for us to assist you with your request.
See all the varieties which we have access to listed below. Please note that products are available during specific seasons as well as the current market demands. Pricing for our products work on an offer basis, in other words make us and offer and we will negotiate with our suppliers on your behalf.
Soft Citrus Packaging and Sizes
Available Sizes |
Carton Weight |
1XXX,1XX,1X,1,2,3,4,5 |
3kg |
Soft Citrus Varieties and availability
Variety |
Availablitiy |
Satsumas (South Africa) |
Feb - April |
Clementines (South Africa) |
March - July |
Clementine Lates (South Africa) |
July - August |
Minneola (South Africa) |
June - July |
Nova (South Africa) |
June - August |
Tambor |
July - September |
Clementine |
There are two suggested explanlations of the origin of the Clementines. According to one, it resulted from an accidental cross between the common Mediterranean mandarin with pollen from an ornamental sour orange known as Granito, first noticed and named by Father Clement Rodier (hence the name Clementines) who discovered it in the garden of an orphanage at Misserghin near Oran, Algeria, around the end of the 1890's. However, little credence is now given to this possible origin. Instead some authorities believe it is virtually identical to the variety known as the Canton mandarin - widely grown in Gwangxi and Guangdong provinces of China.In the Mediterranean region, particularly in Morocco and Spain, the Clementine ahs become the most popular and fastes expanding mandarin variety during the past four decades. Only true seedless Clementines have been developed in Spain and by diligent observations many new exciting mutations have been discovered recently. This has extended the Clementine season from its former two-month period from November to December to cover the period from mid-October to mid-February. The late maturing Clementine hybrid Fortune, of similar quality to the Clementien parent, has resulted in a further extension until mid-April in Spain.Spain's annual Clementine crop of around 1.25 million tons now accounts for 33 percent of the country's combined orange and mandarin production of 3.75 million tons and indications are that this will rise in the near-term future. Moroccan production, howerver, has declined in the past decade from around 400 000 tons to some 300 000 tons, of which over half are exported mainly to Europe and to Canada. Elsewhere production is on a much smaller scale, with South Africa's Clementine production around 50 000 tons and on Corsica some 30 000 tons. |
Minneola |
Originating in 1931 from a cross of Duncan grape-fruit and Dancy tangerine by W. T. Swingle, T. R. Robinson and E. M. Savage at USDA in Florida, the Minneola has now found a niche in the variety composition of many of the world's leading citrus-producing industries.The trees are very vigorous and develop into large specimens, which require sufficient room to develop fully. They arc less cold resistant than the sister variety Orlando, and are also later maturing, being regarded as a mid season variety. The tree and fruit are particularly susceptible to alternaria brown spot (Altinaria citri), which has caused plantings to decline in South Africa. The tree is also sensitive to greening disease where this disorder is prevalent.Large in size, the fruit has inherited some traits from both parents. The shape is round, with most fruits having a pronounced and distinctive neck, which leads to its immediate recognition by consumers. The rind has not only exceptional color, being reddish-orange, but also has a particularly fine, smooth texture.Mature Minneolas may feel slightly soft, giving the impression the fruit is puffy, somewhat over mature and wilted; this is often not the case. The peel is thin in relation to the fruits size, and is not difficult to remove since it is only moderately tightly adhering. However, care is needed during peeling to avoid puncturing the extremely delicate segment walls.Minneolas have a unique, delicious and distinctive flavor, being rich (from the Dancy), tart (from the Duncan) and aromatic. It is, however, unlikely to appeal to most young children who often appreciate sweeter varieties, but many adults find the flavor much to their liking. When grown in a solid block the fruit has few if any seeds and, like some other varieties, it is often recommended that it be interplanted with pollinating varieties such as Dancy or Clementine (Orlando being cross-incompatible), but the resulting increased seediness will only be at the expense of increased reluctance of buyers to pay premiums for seedy fruit. The Minneola shows a tendency to alternate bearing, and as a result in the off years fruit size becomes so large that it is often of poorer equality.It is not recommended that it be grown on vigorous rootstocks or on soils, which produce inferior quality. Furthermore, during the first few years of bearing, producers would do well to resist the temptation to market fruit, which is low in sugar content or highly acidic. The same applies to the practice of some to pick and pack the Minneola when it has attained full color but before it is fully mature; the fine eating quality can be appreciated only if consideration is given to allowing this characteristic to develop before the fruit is harvested.The Minneola has been shown to be very adaptable and excellent quality is achieved in widely different climatic zones such as the desert areas in California and Arizona, the Mediterranean climates in Cyprus, Israel and Cape Province, South Africa, as well as the semi-tropical summer rainfall areas of Argentina, Florida and Swaziland. |
Nova |
A hybrid between the Fina Clementine and Orlando tangelo (Duncan grapefruit X Dancy tangerine) made by F. C. Gardner and 1. Bellows in Florida in 1942. Although only officially released in 1964, some earlier commercial plantings were made in Florida.The trees are vigorous, well developed and have many distinctive mandarin characteristics but are thorny. In semi-tropical areas such as Florida Nova matures early in November but in Spain it is later than most Clementines and is usually harvested from mid-December onwards.The fruit is medium-large for a mandarin, comparable in size to its Orlando parent, but the rind color is a more attractive reddish-orange. Peeling is initially less easy than the Orlando due to the firmness of the fruit, the thin rind and it;tight adhesion, but once started it is easily completed with no oiling of the hands in the process. Moreover, Virtually all the albedo is removed with the rind, leaving the segments as clean as the best Clementine.Nova internal quality is extremely high. The color is deep orange, and the segments are very juicy and tender with a fine sweet flavor, not unlike that of the Clementine. Acid levels are moderate, resulting in a high sugar to acid ratio.Being self-incompatible the fruit is seedless when planted in isolation, and in some areas pollinating varieties such as Orlando or Temple are recommended to improve fruit set. However, like the Clementine, the presence of seeds counts heavily against the Nova with consumers who are prepared to pay premium prices only if the fruit is seedless. To improve fruit set without pollination, growers arc able to achieve success by either applying a very high concentration of plant growth regulator spray or by girdling the branches.While the Nova hangs well on the tree without becoming puffy, it does show a marked loss of quality with the development of severe granulation; this is especially problematic under desert conditions. For this reason harvesting should not be delayed unduly nor should this variety be propagated on a vigorous rootstock such as rough lemon. Unfortunately, internal maturity is often reached before satisfactory rind colour is achieved which necessitates some delay.Nova is also prone to other production limitations. In Israel, Spain and South Africa rind creasing can be problematic and often before reaching maturity small cracks may develop near the stylar-end which can develop into stylar-end splits, especially under hot, humid conditions. When this is severe as much as 30 per cent of the crop may be lost. Under the same conditions Nova is susceptible to Alternaria brown spot.In Spain around 10 per cent of recent mandarin plantings have been to Clemenvilla (synonym Nova) while in Israel around 10,000 Suntina trees (synonym Nova) are in production. There is now little interest In Nova and plantings are at a level below that of Dancy in Florida, where effectively it is no longer planted. It has been planted on a modest scale recently in Cape Province, South Africa and Uruguay River region, Argentina. |
Satsuma |
The Satsuma mandarin or Unshiu mikan originated In Japan either in the early 1400's as a nuclear seedling from the Tsao Chieh mandarin imported from Wenzhow, China, or, as now seems more probable, from the Bendiauanchu mandarin around the mid-sixth century AD. It was given the name Satsuma in 18% by the wife of the United States Minister to Japan, General Van Valkenberg, Satsuma being the former name of the prefecture now known as Kagoshima on Kyushu Island in western Japan.Until the early 1980's Satsuma's were grown principally in Japan and Spain. However, this position has changed considerably in the recent past, particularly in China and to a lesser degree in South Korea on Cheju Island. While production in both Japan and Spain has continued to decline, China's Satsuma output reached an estimated 4.5 million tons in 1997, up from no more than 100,000 tons a decade and a half earlier. China's production is primarily in the northern and middle subtropical citrus regions. There arc small Satsuma-producing areas of Turkey, particularly near Izmir and also on the Black Sea coast near Rize and in nearby Batumi in Georgia. A small area is devoted to Satsuma's in California's Central Valley and on an even smaller scale on the Louisiana coastal region. In the Southern Hemisphere Argentina, Uruguay and South Africa all have some areas in production but are tending to favor other mandarins such as Clementines and hybrid mandarin varieties, while New Zealand's minute Satsuma industry has a successful out-of- season trade with Japan. Of all mandarins, none has more exceptional cold-hardiness than the Satsuma and this is particularly so when grown on trifoliate orange rootstock. |
Tambor |
Discovered in Jamaica (as were the other natural hybrids Temple and Ugli) the Ortanique is a tangor first propagated by C. P. Jackson of Mandeville in 1920, it's name being a synthesis of Or(-ange), Tan(-gerine) and (un-)IQUE.The tree is very vigorous, spreading and reaches a large size. It is a most reliable and productive bearer, the fruit maturing late in the season at about the same time as the Valencia. It can be left on the tree for a reasonable length of time without becoming puffy or losing quality.The fruit is of medium size, and slightly flattened at the stylar-end where a small navel is often formed. The shape, peel texture and thickness, as well as external color and internal quality, are affected greatly by the area in which the fruit is produced.Until the early 1970's production was very limited and restricted to Jamaica, but the Ortanique has shown good adaptability to less tropical climates. It is now grown on a modest scale in neighboring Honduras (known there as Ormanda), Cyprus (Mandora), Israel (Topaz), Swaziland and South Africa (Tambor), the plethora of names brought about by a trademark on the original Ortanique. |