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Citrus trees always bear flowers and fruit at the same time, which means that, theoretically, harvesting can be done year round. However, in southern Europe the main harvest time lasts from November to March. Since citrus fruits will not continue to ripen after being removed from the tree, choosing the right moment to harvest is crucial. Depending upon the species, the fruit needs to ripen for six to 18 months on the tree.
Juice oranges are harvested with mechanical tree shakers. All other citrus fruits are primarily harvested by pickers, who cut them from the trees with scissors. Contrary to what may be assumed, the colour of the rind does not reflect the degree of ripeness of the fruit. After harvesting, the fruit is stored for five days. The rind shrinks to become robust and firm. Finally, the fruits are dipped into a bath of fungicides and sprayed with artificial wax. The packaging paper is sometimes impregnated with agents to prevent mould growth. Organic fruits are the exception; they are neither sprayed while on the tree nor treated with chemicals after harvesting. However, they are often smaller in size and have more irregular shapes than those cultivated conventionally. In a last step, the citrus fruits are sorted by size, colour and grade.
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