This is a worthy fight for the National Party. For so long now, we've had to put up with pips in our mandarins, and it gives me the pip to know that they've had the seedless variety for many years in Europe and the UK. They call them tangerines.  Some are called clementines, but they are just mandarins without the pips.

What exactly is the problem with growing them in Australia?

I don't think seedless mandarins and tangerines are the same thing, although they are similar in appearance.

Regardless, I'm also pretty sure I've had both here in Australia. Although not for many years.

Its a mixture of economics and no ethics.

You can get a variety called Silver Hill also known as Satsuma (not the plum)
However there is a variety (name escapes me) that looks like a mandarin but is actually a cross between a mandarin and something else.
This variety produces shirt loads more fruit per ha so the growers will grow that instead.

If its the one I am thinking of its hard to peel and chock full of seeds.

If everyone went back to labeling their produce properly you as a consumer could learn what is what and avoid the crap varieties.
You will have to pay more for the better varieties however.

Also Imperial and Hickson mandarin grown without pollination will produce very few seeds.
Both very tasty fruit with Imperial being superior in flavour but a harder to make money out of because of smaller fruit and lower yields.
Small fruit = high harvest cost (plus they need to be clipped )

Thanks for the explanation miketrees. I guess it only takes one or two growers to get their act together and the consumers wil buy what they prefer.

Genetically castrated mandarins.
You have 'em.
What's the point of mandarins if you can't spit the pips??

Don't knock them until you try them. All fruit is genetically modified (naturally)
http://www.americanantiagingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/tangerines.jpg

Tangerines, Satsumas and Clementines have been around for at least 50 years in Europe, Canada and the US.

So Milktrees, since you appear to be the resident expert, perhaps you can provide an answer .... are Tangerines and mandarins the same thing?

As for you, Soren, this is a wild banana:
http://bwindiresearchers.wildlifedirect.org/files/2009/07/pict0268.jpg

Nice to spit out the pips.....not.

We (mankind) developed the seedless banana by selective breeding. The tangerine, clementine and satsuma were similarly developed.

So why do we put up with mandarins full of seeds in Australia, whereas just about every other country in the world has tangerines, and they are huge, luscious, sweet and seedless- and they are cheap. I first tasted a tangerine during a visit to the UK at Christmas time. They are delicious and no pips to accidentally crush between your teeth.

SO let's rise up, be revolting and demand seedless mandarins.  :o  "Stop the boats" fades into insignificance compared to this issue.

Well John I am not sure.
A tangelo is a cross between a mandarin and a grapefruit.

I thought some people got the two names tangelo and tangerine mixed up.

Tangelos look like mandarins, usually a bit bigger(they get that from mum,Grapefruit).
However if you have a keen sense of smell tangelos smell like grapefruit

http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/hort/fn/cp/citrus_propagation.pdf

Unfortunately if you sent a small consignment of just about anything to our markets you would get bugger all for them unless it was something that had made headline in the media.
Our market system only works for consistent large consignments.
If supermarkets and markets are going to bother with something they want to be able to make  money from it every week.
So if you have a fantastic boutique line, sell it elsewhere

muso wrote on Jun 30^th, 2013 at 7:40pm:

As for you, Soren, this is a wild banana: http://bwindiresearchers.wildlifedirect.org/files/2009/07/pict0268.jpg Nice to spit out the pips.....not. We (mankind) developed the seedless banana by selective breeding. The tangerine, clementine and satsuma were similarly developed. So why do we put up with mandarins full of seeds in Australia, whereas just about every other country in the world has tangerines, and they are huge, luscious, sweet and seedless- and they are cheap. I first tasted a tangerine during a visit to the UK at Christmas time. They are delicious and no pips to accidentally crush between your teeth. SO let's rise up, be revolting and demand seedless mandarins.  :o  "Stop the boats" fades into insignificance compared to this issue.

This kinda mindless revolutionary fever gives me the pip.

This kinda mindless revolutionary fever gives me the pip.

Who do you think you are, The Lone Oranger?

muso wrote on Jun 30^th, 2013 at 7:40pm:

As for you, Soren, this is a wild banana: http://bwindiresearchers.wildlifedirect.org/files/2009/07/pict0268.jpg Nice to spit out the pips.....not. We (mankind) developed the seedless banana by selective breeding. The tangerine, clementine and satsuma were similarly developed. So why do we put up with mandarins full of seeds in Australia, whereas just about every other country in the world has tangerines, and they are huge, luscious, sweet and seedless- and they are cheap. I first tasted a tangerine during a visit to the UK at Christmas time. They are delicious and no pips to accidentally crush between your teeth. SO let's rise up, be revolting and demand seedless mandarins.  :o  "Stop the boats" fades into insignificance compared to this issue.

The Bible warns against messing with your seed. SO stop it.

miketrees wrote on Jul 1^st, 2013 at 9:41am:

This kinda mindless revolutionary fever gives me the pip. Who do you think you are, The Lone Oranger?

I'm totally crushed by these remarks.

OK, I know what a tangelo is. Tangerines and satsumas are totally different. They are mass consignments in most parts of the world, except Australia. They are virtually identical to mandarins, except the top of the fruit has a bit of a dimple in it.

http://dancinghenry.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/satsuma-friendly-tangerines.jpg

I have known Sarth Efrecans that call mandarins Yanzies and or Tanzies.

I think such talk comes from Phil O,Stiens

(famous Irish Jewish fellow)

This article is useful:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangerine


Quote:

The tangerine (Citrus tangerina)[1] is an orange-colored citrus fruit which is closely related to the mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata). Taxonomically, it may be named as a subspecies or variety of Citrus reticulata; further work seems to be required to ascertain its correct scientific name.[2] Tangerines are smaller than common oranges, and are usually easier to peel and to split into segments. The taste is considered less sour, but sweeter and stronger, than that of an orange.[3]

I can vouch for the fact that they are also easier to peel than many mandarins.

I finally found some seedless Clementines at Woolworths - grown in SA. They are delicious.

Excellent.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

My Hickson mandarins are just ripe enough to eat now, late enough to defeat the Mediterranean fruit fly, perfect for winter.

Choc full of seeds so no good for you Muso mandarin Muncher

Are you a commercial grower?

So hard to find 'authentic' Watermelons with seeds.
At least these taste like actual Watermelons (like Der  :P)
...those seedless types in the supermarket are pathetic and blande of taste.
Why people bother?
Oh yes, that's right - its not the taste, its about not the seeds. ::)

I think people who like 'seedless' anything
also like Companies who force Farmers via 'Laws' on their behalf, to constantly purchase Seed, because their crops will not rejuvenate and 2nd generation, etc.
PURE CORRUPTION and ROTTENESS  >:(

Sounds like a Chinaman who lost his testicles.

I've seen them at Woolworths and Harris Farm.  Like most "seedless" fruit they sometimes have the occasional small seed in them.

Frances wrote on Mar 15^th, 2014 at 1:04am:

I've seen them at Woolworths and Harris Farm.  Like most "seedless" fruit they sometimes have the occasional small seed in them.

Does that make you feel anxious about eating them? Thinking that perhaps an overlooked seed may begin germinating in your stomach and take root in your upper intestine? Does the thought of having a little tree growing inside you make you nervous? :D

Australian native finger limes are pretty special ... they have very few seeds, however (unfortunately) they're not sweet at all.

But they can be a great addition to salad dressings etc ...  :)

And now that I've reached 100 posts ... Tah Dah ... magically live links appear ...  8-)

http://i60.tinypic.com/kd0nm1.jpg


Quote:

Finger limes, a native rainforest fruit are now being harvested commercially and efforts are being made to broaden markets both in Australia and overseas. A sausage-shaped fruit that vary in colour, finger limes have the same tangy taste as traditional limes but their flesh is made up of many shiny pearls that 'pop' when eaten.

http://www.abc.net.au/site-archive/rural/telegraph/content/2011/s3246629.htm

Those finger limes look interesting.

what do you do with them?

Eat them as they are? do they need to be cooked? Or are they more like a condiment that is added to food to spice it up?

Apparently they're a big hit in certain more exclusive restaurants where they are used in dressings etc, both for savory and sweet dishes.

They are fine raw.

I was quite surprised, when first finding out about Australia's own native citrus and my first taste was of another (round variety) native to South East QLD - which I happened across whilst bush-walking!

The finger limes are more generally found in North East NSW, but I found some growing at a local TAFE college near home. They looked most like number 2 in the picture.

The flesh could certainly be described as "shiny pearls that 'pop'"( ... with tanginess, I would add) ... :)

Seedless fruits are terrible and bland in taste, possibly nutrition as well.
Grain fed (Farmed Fish) Salmon are bland and of poorer quality than 'natural' Salmon from the Wild (what's left of it).

Give me a WaterMelon with seeds in it any day - it tastes like a WaterMelon.

But give it a generation, and society will get 'used to it' and the 'better' world will be a thing of the past

Your local Woollies store:

"Delite Mandarins are a great tasting, seedless, easy-to-peel mandarin grown in Australia and available from August to November each year. Delite mandarins are a naturally occurring product with absolutely no genetic modification. The seedless quality of the fruit is due to where it is grown. Delite mandarins are isolated from pollen sources, and it's pollen that causes the development of seeds in mandarins of this variety."

http://www.woolworths.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/website/woolworths/freshfoodideas/fresh+food+guides/whatsinseason/delite+mandarins

https://www.buyfruit.com.au/seedless-mandarins