Australian citrus growers are expecting smaller crop sizes overall but the fruit size will be very large, according to the latest crop predictions issued for the south east of the country.
Murray Valley Citrus Board industry development officer Mary Cannard said the region's forecast for navel oranges was 30 per cent down on last year at 61,800 tonnes, the Weekly Times reported.
However Ms Cannard said it was too early to estimate the region's valencia orange crop.
Riverina Citrus officer Darren Gibbs said New South Wales growers expected to pick 69,000 tonnes of navels this season, down from 73,700 tonnes last year.
'While the numbers of fruit on the trees is markedly down on summer varieties, the winter navels have shown little effect of the hot spell in November,' he said.
Mr Gibbs said winter navels were 15mm bigger on average than last year, while summer navels were 11mm larger.
The Riverina is Australia's largest valencia orange producing region, and is expected to yield 78,000 tonnes this year, 29 per cent down on last year.
Citrus Growers of South Australia industry development officer Kym Thiel said the November heatwave was not as bad as first feared, and the navel crop from the state's Riverland region was now expected to be around 55,000 tonnes.
