Mandarin Picking / Packing
Earn as a Mandarin Orange Picker While Travelling in Australia
Earn as a Mandarin Orange Picker While Travelling in Australia
There are various citrus fruits that grow in Australia, and their own seasons are fast approaching. Fruit pickers may find it hard to get a break once they are ready to harvest domestically. Their in-season citrus fruits include:
• Valencia’s, known to be the most common variety of orange in Australia.
• Navel oranges, another popular variety that will start its season during the middle time of the year.
• Mandarins, on the other hand, will begin their season this April until October. The industry of mandarins in Australia is huge that an estimated 107,000 tons of the fruit are being produced in a year.
Queensland still lists as the largest producers of Mandarins with at least 2, 960 hectares of plantation with over 1,261,054 trees planted. But did you know that the overall plantation in Australia exports only 28% of their harvest? That’s giving enough supply for the locals.
Fruit picking jobs in Australia has been one of the sought activities in the area, and in fact, backpackers are able to sustain their finances during their stay just by applying as a fruit picker. The fruit picking season in Australia usually begins during the summer season, that’s between December to May of the year. Although this is said to be the standard time for harvest, other regions in Australia suffer from different weather conditions that may affect the normal schedule of harvest.
There are two ways you can work as a fruit picker, you can either be a contract picker which allows you to harvest as much as you can and be paid for the amount of harvest you did, or you can also choose to work by the hour. The standard rate for an hourly wage is AUD$15. Being physically fit is one of the most important requirements in applying for a job as a fruit picker. The summer heat and the heavy load of work can consume your energy in no time so make sure you are up for the job and make it through after your scheduled work.
In Australia, there are farms that provide its workers meals and accommodations; you may want to seek them first before working for any other farm. Working as a fruit picker in Australia can also extend your working holiday visa, however, if you are planning on applying just for that purpose, make sure to check whether the farm you are going to work for is accredited by the Australian Immigration.
The way mandarins are picked is very easy. Handpicked fruits can easily be done especially if they are ripe, just make sure that you wear protective gloves to avoid being pricked. Mandarins that are not ripe but were harvested will still get ripe off the tree. Putting them in a paper bag or giving them enough circulation will eventually turn them ripe. Mandarins are also homegrown that is why most people in Australia know exactly how to harvest one. If you’re a backpacker and wondering how to earn money to fund your trip, try fruit picking jobs in Australia, it might just work for you.
