By Eliza Berlage

ABC Rural

Topic: Fruit Growing

Sunday, 26 July 2026, 5:45 am

Bad weather in South Australia's Riverland has hurt fruit.

In short:

Cold and wet weather in South Australia's Riverland has caused problems with oranges and mandarins.

A store owner says fruit from other places is helping, but local fruit is still good to eat.

What's next?

Citrus growers hope for warmer days to finish harvesting.

It's the middle of winter, the peak of citrus season, but there may be fewer local mandarins and oranges.

Bad weather has caused problems for fruit and losses for growers.

At his farm, Mark Doecke says workers start late to avoid damaging fruit.

Workers start later and work shorter hours due to cold mornings.

Mark Doecke says you can't pick fruit when it's cold and wet because it gets damaged.

The Citrus SA Chair says bad weather means financial losses for farmers and workers.

Mark Doecke says there are rules for picking fruit to ensure quality.

We have to stop work at 4 pm, so it's a short day, and workers don't like that.

Fruit is being downgraded

Mark Doecke is one of many growers who supply fruit to a packing facility.

In Australia, citrus is graded into four classes.

Fabio Spiniello says 60 to 70 percent of fruit has been downgraded this year.

Growers who use netting are more likely to have their fruit accepted as premium.

Wind damage causes blemishes on the fruit.

The oranges get damaged when they rub against sticks and leaves.

Fabio Spiniello says more growers are using netting to protect their crops.

Wind and rain have weakened the skin of some fruit.

Some types of oranges have been less affected than others.

Mandarin supply is also down due to late flowering and heatwaves.

Damaged but still delicious

A fruit store in Barmera sells Riverland-grown citrus.

Ryan Oakley says demand for citrus has been strong.

The store owner says some produce may look bad but is still good to eat.

If you pick up the fruit and it feels firm, it's okay to buy.

The store is buying more citrus from other places to fill gaps, but local fruit is still available.

Many supermarkets import citrus at this time of year.

The store is buying fruit with blemishes to keep prices low.

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