Gayndah citrus farmer Matt Benham takes so much pride in his crop, he follows his fruit overseas to confirm quality and flavour.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
His citrus pride comes with his family's long history of growing in the North Burnett region.
In 1924 his great-grandfather, Walter Benham, planted an orange tree on the banks of the Burnett River near Gayndah.
Almost 100-years later Mr Benham manages 70,000 citrus trees with his parents, Averial and Murray Benham, and his wife Rachel Benham, as Benyenda Citrus.
The citrus man has "orange juice flowing in their veins" according to his wife and strives to continue the legacy of quality fruit created by his great-grandfather.
Mr Benham produces grapefruit, lemons, mandarins as well as oranges, for export and the Australian market on the picturesque property.
Queensland has become a "powerhouse' of mandarin production according to Mr Benham and there is a taste in Asia for North Burnett grown fruit.
China leads the interest, but the market in Thailand has rapidly grown in recent years.
"The Queensland Citrus Exporters Group (QCEG) targeted Thailand with marketing and promotions and it really helped, " he said.
"The growing middle-class wants to eat fruit, we have a green, clean reputation and the flavour profile and sweetness we produce is the best in the world."
"If it hasn't got a kangaroo on the stand, they won't buy it, they love to see that kangaroo."
The region's mandarin season begins in April and runs to September rolling through the varieties Daisy, Royal Honey Murcott, low-seed Murcott and the Honey Murcott.
Mr Benham and his wife attempt to travel to Thailand twice a season to ensure the fruit arrives in the high standard it leaves the farm and also receive feedback from the consumers.
The couple have recently returned from an insightful trip of tracking down their mandarins on the shelves of street markets, low and high end supermarkets and also meeting with the exporters.
"If exporters say there is a problem, we can see it for ourselves," he said.
"We are checking what grades go where and how it looks on the shelf, how we can improve and more opportunities.
"If it's a good year we go, and if it's a bad year we still go, we have to put in that effort.
This is the first season Mr Benham has been able to travel with his fruit since Covid restrictions began.
Mr Benham is currently harvesting and packing a crop of summer lemons, and is preparing for the 2023 Queensland citrus season.
Mandarins are the main citrus fruit grown in Queensland, with about 5300 hectares of trees under harvest and generating more than $80 million in gross production.
The main production regions include the North Burnett (Mundubbera and Gayndah), Emerald, Bundaberg and the Atherton Tablelands.
