Satsuma mandarin growers have enjoyed a record export season.
Growers organisation chairman Brad Davies from Kerikeri says the quantity of fruit exported this year was almost double the previous record of 500 tonnes in 2009.
He says growers realised early in the growing season that production in Northland and Gisborne could be as high as 10,000 tonnes so worked to get as much fruit sold overseas as possible.
Mr Davies says despite the record tonnage of mandarins exported, it was still only 10% of the crop.
He says the challenge is improving the sweetness of satsuma mandarins, which could open up new export opportunities in Asia.
