THERE is a good reason all tracks lead to a new variety of mandarins at the Arnold’s Pyap property.
The new early Sicily variety is proving to be popular with both growers and consumers, ticking all the boxes to become a favourite mandarin.
“We’ve had trial trees for six or seven years and every year, as soon as these are nearly ripe, the ute tracks, the motorbike tracks, everything goes down to the early Sicilys,” grower Michael Arnold said.
“It’s the one fruit we grow that every single person likes.
“It’s phenomenal.”
The new variety is a cross between a clementine mandarin and tarocco blood orange, meaning it is easy to peel, juicy and sweet.
“As far as fruit goes on our property, it’s the number one best-tasting thing as far as mandarins go,” Mr Arnold said.
With the late pick, they get more of that blood orange, berry flavour, whereas the early picks are just a really good mandarin.”
Mr Arnold said cold nights and sunny winter days were important for the variety to obtain the anthocyanin – the deep red, purple and blue pigments found in plants.
“They won’t colour up in Queensland because they don’t get the cold nights,” he said.
“You need that cold to trigger the gene that makes it anthocyanin.
“Anything with anthocyanin, that red colour, has amazing health benefits.
“Obviously citrus is good with all its vitamin C and everything else as well.”
Venus Citrus packs the new variety and grower liaison Fabio Spiniello said the market response to the early Sicily was “great”.
“We are not into any commercial production just yet,” he said.
“So, we have been putting them onto the market slowly over the last couple of seasons, with this season being more than last.
I think in terms of taste and sweetness, it is the best thing on the market. Nothing comes near it.”
If left on the tree and picked later in the season, the fruit will blush – or turn red like a blood orange.
If picked early in the season, the fruit will also blush in cool store.
“Anywhere between six and 10 weeks and they blush,” Mr Spiniello said.
“We have plans to export them.
“They are received very well and are straight off the shelf.
“Once people eat these, they will seek them and want them just for their flavour.”
The Italian variety is available in Australia under Australian Nurserymen’s Fruit Improvement Company and has plant breeder rights.
“You can’t buy them at the local nursery. They are not going to be a domestic tree,” Mr Spiniello said.
“There’s three packers or marketers in Australia and we are the main ones here in South Australia.”
In the Riverland, both the Arnold family at Pyap and the Lloyd family in Lyrup grow the variety.