“The summer citrus programs will see a slight increase over last season, mainly in Clementines and Navels,” said Kathy Hearl, marketing promotions manager for DNE World Fruit LLC in Fort Pierce, FL. “They are the most popular varieties in the summer citrus lineup and account for the majority of sales. Our summer citrus is available from Australia, South Africa, Chile and Peru between June and October, with a wide variety of citrus such as Navels, Clementines, Minneola’s, Mandarins and Cara Cara oranges.”

DNE’s clementine program from Chile will be available mid-May through August and from South Africa from early June to early August. Uruguay clementines are shipped in May and June. The clementines are available in cartons as well as two-, three- and five-pound bags.

The company’s late-season Mandarins from Australia are available from late September through mid-October. They run from Chile and South Africa in September and October, and from Uruguay they are available in July and August.

“Navels come from South Africa from mid-June to mid-September,” said Hearl. “From Australia they arrive from mid-July through mid-October, from Chile they run July through October and from Uruguay from late June to early September. Navels are available in cartons, three-, four-, five- and eight-pound bags.

“Cara Cara Navels come from South Africa from mid-July through August, Hearl continued. “And from Australia they are available August through mid-September. We offer Cara Caras in cartons and in three-pound bags.”

DNE also has a Minneola program from Australia in late July through early September and from Peru from mid-July through August. The company ships its Minneola’s in 10-kilo cartons. Its Midknight oranges from South Africa are available from mid-September through mid-November, and are available in three- and five-pound bags.

“Daisy Mandarins from Australia will be available in July,” added Hearl. “Blood oranges from Australia are available in September in 10-kilo cartons.

“DNE’s lemons are available from mid-June to mid-September,” she continued. “From Uruguay they ship from July through October. Our lemons are available in standard cartons, two-, three- and five-pound bags.”

Hearl explained that while retailers are the primary outlet for summer citrus, the fruit is also sold to wholesalers, terminal markets and foodservice operations.

“Retailers look at summer imports as an incremental citrus category growth opportunity by extending it year round,” she said. “With such widely accepted items as Clementines and Navels, summer citrus has become a staple produce item and the category continues to grow each year.”

DNE distributes summer citrus throughout the United States and some Caribbean countries. The Australian product arrives on the West Coast of the United States, and the South African citrus arrives in the eastern U.S., while Chilean and Peruvian citrus arrives on both coasts.

The company, Hearl pointed out, has added additional bagging equipment to each of its three loading locations: World Pack in Gloucester City, NJ; KPAC in Long Beach, CA; and Sun Ag Packing in Fellsmere, FL.

Hearl noted that the imported Clementine season started earlier this year because California Mandarins finished in mid-May.

“Early Clementines from Chile and Peru started in mid-May to fill the supply channel,” she said. “South Africa and Uruguay clementines were available in mid-June. The December freeze in California affected some of their late Mandarins, making for an early finish to the season. We expect our summer citrus season to wrap up the mid-November with South African Midknights and late Mandarins.”