Citrus Grower, Exporter, Packers & Supplier

South African citrus is juicy, sweet and delicious. Citrus from South Africa includes: oranges, grapefruit, lemons and soft citrus. Based on volumes, citrus production in SA is the largest fruit crop and most of it is exported. Citrus seasons in south Africa runs from February to end October.

Main commodities include: oranges, grapefruit, lemons and soft citrus.

Oranges: Navel, Navelate, Cambria, Witkrans, Dekta Seedless, Midknights and Valencia

Grapefruit: Star Ruby

Lemons: Eureka

Soft Citrus: Satsumas, Esbal, Clementine, Nova, Mandarins, Minneolas, Valley Gold and Orri/Nadorcott.

ORANGES

A vitamin goldmine with their antioxidants, vitamin C and the pigment betacryptoxanthin, oranges are one of the most popular fruits in the world. They were first cultivated in China around 2500 BC and are assumed to have originated in southern China, northeastern India and perhaps southeastern Asia. As of 1987, orange trees were found to be the most cultivated fruit tree in the world.

Navels

Navels are a clone of a mutant orange dating back almost 200 years. Easily identifiable from the outside by the navel-like circle at one end, these oranges also have additional tiny wedges just inside the navel. The navel is actually the formative peel of the secondary fruit, developing on the side opposite the stem. Seedless, the rich, juicy flavour of this orange makes it delicious for eating out of hand.

Cara Cara

Cara Cara is a navel orange with a flavourful, juicy pink flesh reminiscent of strawberries and raspberries. It’s sweet and mildly acidic. Cara Cara is called Red Navel and ripens from autumn into winter. These oranges can be juiced, eaten or cooked into jams, jellies and other spreads. Production early May to mid/late June.

Navellates

Navellates are also known as late navels. This type of eating orange is characterised by its deep orange colour and it delivers a delicious sweet burst of juicy goodness. Production is between early/mid-April and end-July/early August.

Valencias

Valencias are named for the city of Valencia in Spain, although the variety is thought to have originated in China or India. Valued for their high juice content and availability outside of the typical citrus season, Valencia oranges are usually thin-skinned and have a few seeds. They’re considered one of the best oranges for juicing.

Delta

Delta is a smooth-rinded South African variety which resembles the Valencia but matures somewhat earlier. It’s a seedless fruit of high quality and is popular because it’s less acidic and thus great-tasting. Production is mid-June to mid-October.

Midknight

Midknight is a larger fruit and virtually seedless. It has a high juice percentage and its intense flavour makes it excellent for eating or juicing. Production mid-June to end-September.

SOFT CITRUS

Soft citrus, also known as ‘easy peelers’ for obvious reasons, means mandarins of cultivars grown from the species Citrus reticulata Blanco, Citrus unshiu Marcow, Citrus nobilis Lour, Citrus deliciosa Tenore and their hybrids.

Clementines

Clementines have a deep orange colour with a smooth, glossy appearance. They can be separated into between 7 and 14 segments. They’re most always seedless and are typically juicy and sweet.

Mandarins

Mandarins are vative to south-eastern Asia and the Philippines and are members of Citrus reticulate Blanco. Dubbed ‘kid-glove’ oranges, mandarins have a thin, loose peel. The name ‘tangerine’ can be applied as an alternate name to the whole group, but is usually confined to the types with red-orange skin in the trade. Smaller and less spherical than oranges, they’re pebbly-skinned.

Nadarcott

Nadorcotts are from Morocco or Spain. A patented, late-season seedless variety, it’s distinguished by its red-orange colour and thinner peel. Nadorcott is decidedly less sweet and more tart and bitter in flavour than the other soft citrus varieties.

Novas

Novas are medium to large with the rind being a reddish-orange and the flesh deep orange. Juicy and sweet, production is from early March to end-June.

Satsumas

Satsumas owe their name to a former Japanese province, now Kagoshima Prefecture, on the southern tip of Kyushu Island, where they’re believed to have originated. Medium-small to medium, oblate to sub-globose, satsumas are sometimes slightly necked and seedless. Its thin rind is somewhat leathery.

GRAPEFRUIT

Grapefruit originated in Barbados as an accidental cross between the sweet orange and pomelo or shaddock. When found, it was named the ‘forbidden fruit’. The common name comes from Jamaica, where locals referred to the way fruit grew in clusters like grapes. Tart and tangy with an underlying sweetness, grapefruit has a juiciness that rivals that of the orange and has many health-promoting benefits, such as being a good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fibre and lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient.

Jackson LS Sweet Sunrise

Jackson LS Sweet Sunrise is mainly medium to small with a low seed content. The skin is smooth with a white to light-brown internal colour and the fruit is juicy with a refreshing fruit punch-like flavour. It can be peeled like a navel and eaten without any bitter naringin taste.

Rosé

Rosé is a pink-fleshed grapefruit with some blush to the peel. It’s thinskineed with excellent flavour and masses of juice. Also known as Ruby Red, Tropical Ruby or Redblush.

Star Ruby

Star Ruby is the benchmark standard of grapefruit for colour, flavour and fragrance. It’s an attractive red-blushed fruit with a smooth yellow rind and the segmented flesh is aromatically bright, rich ruby in colour, juicy and low-seeded or seedless. Star Ruby’s season of maturity is mid-to lateseason, early April to early June.

White Marsh

White Marsh is the most popular variety of grapefruit. Both sweet and acidic, it has yellow-white flesh and yellow skin. Other Marsh grapefruit includes the pink Marsh. Production is end-March/early April to end-July.

LEMONS

Lemons are available throughout the year, but peak around May, June and August. They’re oval in shape and feature a yellow, texturised outer peel. Like other citrus fruits, their inner flesh is encased in eight to ten segments. Lemons contain unique flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. They’re also an excellent source of vitamin C.

Eureka Lemon

The majority of our lemons are Eureka’s, rind thickness is medium to thin, and the fruit has a high acid level. Seeds are few, mostly seedless.

To deliver the freshest and highest quality South African fruits to global markets, fostering sustainable agricultural practices and supporting local farmers. We aim to create lasting relationships with our partners and customers while promoting the rich diversity of South African's fruit industry.

As a South African fruit export company, we adhere to some of the world's most stringent accreditations as requested by major retailers, to ensure our products meet the highest standard of quality, safety, and sustainability. These certifications, such as GlobalGAP, APAC, FPEF, Siza, COC & IFS Broker are essential for gaining access to international markets, where retailers and consumers demand impeccable produce. By complying with these rigorous standards, we not only safeguard our reputation but also build trust with our global partners.

Furthermore, adhering to these requirements reduces risks, ensures ethical and environmentally friendly practices, and provides a competitive edge in a highly dynamic and demanding industry. This commitment to excellence allows us to maintain long-term relationship with top retailers and secure our position in premium markets across the globe.

At Nine Fruits Exports, we do not only grow the best quality fruit, but we also offer a fully integrated logistics service. We understand the demands of shipping fresh fruit and it is our goal to ensure that our shipments are handled as gently and efficiently throughout the entire supply chain.

Nine Fruits Exports ensures the shortest possible transit time for our fruit. Our fruit is shipped in refrigerated containers which are designed to maintain the cold chain and ensure that our fruit is kept at constant prescribed temperature protocol throughout the journey to our international receivers.

Nine Fruits Exports has Service Level Agreement contracts in place with the major shipping lines contracted to ship our fruit to ensure that our highly perishable product reaches it final destination on time.

The management team form the backbone of Nine Fruits Exports (Pty) Ltd, providing guidance through their vision, expertise, and commitment to excellence in the global fruit export. Their collective experience and leadership are pivotal in shaping the strategic direction of Nine Fruits Exports, ensuring they remain at the forefront of innovation, and sustainability while delivering the finest quality citrus to clients around the world.

Need Help?

At Nine Fruits Exports, we are dedicated to delivering the right quality produce to our customers at the correct time.

Get in touch with us, wherever you are in the world.

+27 (67) 818 4414

[email protected]

Contact Us