Mandarins are the backbone of the Turkish citrus export programme, and the reason our season opens earlier than most Mediterranean origins. Fruit from the Çukurova plain colours in the third week of September, which puts the first Okitsu containers on the water while northern-hemisphere competitors are still four to six weeks out.
The variety ladder matters more here than in any other citrus. Satsumas — Okitsu, Miho Wase, Dobashi Beni, Owari — are seedless, loose-skinned and built for the early market, but they soften in store and will not carry a long transit late in their window. Fremont and Nova bridge December. W. Murcott closes the season from January with a firmer, denser fruit that holds brix and travels well to the Gulf and Far East.
We pick to colour break and internal maturity rather than to a calendar date, and every lot is degreened only where the destination market requires it. Ask for the Brix/acid ratio on the lot you are quoting — we report it per pick, not per season.