Citrusdal Citrus Season — When Each Cultivar Ships

Indicative, not a programme. These bands are the general South African pattern — not measured Citrusdal data, and not any producer's availability. Real windows shift by season, by cultivar and by block. The figure that is sourced is the valley's overall harvest and packing window: March to September. Confirm anything you will trade on.

The citrus year in this valley

Move along a row to read any month. Tap a crop below to mute it.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Lemons

Mar – Aug

Grapefruit

Apr – Aug

Soft citrus

Apr – Sep

Navels

May – Sep

Valencias

Jul – Oct

Why the southern season is the whole point

South Africa harvests through its winter, which is summer in the northern hemisphere. Fruit from this valley arrives when northern local supply is out of season. That is not a happy accident of geography — it is the commercial basis of the entire export trade.

It also explains the shape of the chart. Almost nothing ships from here between November and February, because that is the southern summer and the fruit is still on the tree.

Reading the windows

Group	What to know
Lemons	Open the season, with a long picking window, and they store relatively well.
Grapefruit	Mid-season. Star Ruby is the variety most associated with South African export programmes.
Soft citrus	The widest spread and the fastest-moving category. Many varieties, each with a narrow window — which makes "soft citrus" as one band the least useful row here. Ask by variety.
Navels	The valley's signature. Cool winter nights drive the rind colour.
Valencias	Close out the season and run latest — the late-programme and juicing orange.

Group

What to know

Lemons

Open the season, with a long picking window, and they store relatively well.

Grapefruit

Mid-season. Star Ruby is the variety most associated with South African export programmes.

Soft citrus

The widest spread and the fastest-moving category. Many varieties, each with a narrow window — which makes "soft citrus" as one band the least useful row here. Ask by variety.

Navels

The valley's signature. Cool winter nights drive the rind colour.

Valencias

Close out the season and run latest — the late-programme and juicing orange.

Maturity is decided on measurements, not the calendar. See how Brix, acid and the ratio decide when fruit is picked.

How to use this page. Visit Citrusdal is an independent guide, not an exporter, an agent or the industry body. Everything here is general orientation compiled from public sources — it is not commercial, legal or regulatory advice. Confirm anything you will act on with the producer, your own advisers and the relevant authority.