In this episode of Riverland Citrus Stories, we feature Mike Arnold from GM Arnold & Son at Waikerie, a long-standing citrus grower with more than seventy years in the industry. Mike’s experience spans generations, from early orchard practices through to modern production systems, and includes significant contributions to citrus propagation and variety development at a national level. 

Mike reflects on the evolution of the industry, from manual handling and furrow irrigation to automation and improved efficiencies. He also shares insights into the development of new citrus varieties in Australia, the establishment of national propagation systems, and the importance of clean plant material in maintaining a strong industry. 

The episode also highlights Mike’s leadership roles, including his long involvement with Auscitrus and the Australian Citrus Improvement Society, and his commitment to both industry and community. His story provides a practical perspective on long-term industry development, innovation and the importance of staying the course in a cyclical agricultural environment. 

This special series is hosted on The Citrus Segment, the Citrus SA podcast, and has been made possible through funding from the Rex Andrew Trust, administered by the SA Citrus Improvement Society.

More information:

The Podcast Station – ⁠www.thepodcaststation.com.au⁠

Citrus SA – ⁠www.citrussa.com.au

In this episode of Riverland Citrus Stories, we hear from Helen Aggelettos, Managing Director and Marketing Manager of Venus Citrus at Loxton. Helen shares the story of how her father established the business after moving from Sydney to the Riverland, starting with a small citrus property and selling fruit directly into the Melbourne market.

Helen reflects on stepping into the business in 1989 under difficult circumstances, following her father’s illness and the closure of the operation. With no formal background in citrus, she rebuilt the business alongside her husband, navigating a male-dominated industry and gradually earning respect in both grower and market networks.

The episode explores the growth of Venus Citrus into a well-recognised brand, Helen’s focus on quality and market positioning, and how the business has adapted through drought, market shifts and changing consumer behaviour. It also highlights the importance of family, growers and long-term thinking in building a sustainable citrus business.

This special series is hosted on The Citrus Segment, the Citrus SA podcast, and has been made possible through funding from the Rex Andrew Trust, administered by the SA Citrus Improvement Society.

More information:

The Podcast Station – ⁠www.thepodcaststation.com.au⁠

Citrus SA – ⁠www.citrussa.com.au

In this episode of Riverland Citrus Stories, we look at the Yandilla Park story and pay tribute to its founder, Andrew Weigall. Through the recollections of former employees Phil Binder and Steve Burdette, the episode explores how Andrew built a major horticultural enterprise from modest beginnings and helped reshape the Riverland citrus industry.

Phil reflects on Andrew’s early move from journalism into fruit growing, his decision to focus on citrus, and the way Yandilla Park expanded from a single eight-hectare property into a large-scale integrated business. He also describes Andrew’s role in forming the Vitor group, developing infrastructure, supporting new varieties, backing research, and creating opportunities for staff and younger people entering horticulture.

Steve Burdette shares his experience of being recruited from South Africa to lead Vitor Marketing and explains how Andrew’s leadership, values and long-term thinking influenced both the business and the wider industry. Together, their memories paint a picture of a private but highly influential figure whose legacy continues to be felt across the Riverland.

This special series is hosted on The Citrus Segment, the Citrus SA podcast, and has been made possible through funding from the Rex Andrew Trust, administered by the SA Citrus Improvement Society.

More information:

The Podcast Station – ⁠www.thepodcaststation.com.au⁠

Citrus SA – ⁠www.citrussa.com.au

John Plush from Winkie reflects on more than a century of family involvement in the Riverland citrus industry. His grandfather, Cecil Plush, selected horticultural land in 1914 and began developing a mixed property of citrus and stone fruit in 1915.

In the early years, the operation relied on basic irrigation channels, manual land clearing and diversified production to generate early cash flow while citrus trees matured.

By the mid 1920s, the Plush family had established their own packing plant after moving away from cooperative marketing 

Over the decades, the business expanded, adopted bulk handling, waxing systems and later cool storage, and marketed fruit across Australia and into export markets. John discusses the shift from horse and cart to tractors, from furrow irrigation to sprinklers and automated systems, and from wooden boxes to cartons.

He also outlines the increasing scale and capital requirements of modern packing, the challenge of securing reliable labour, and the additional management layers introduced by pest pressures such as red scale, gall wasp and fruit fly 

Ultimately, the family ceased packing in the late 1990s and transitioned away from commercial citrus about five years ago as scale and labour demands intensified.

This special series is hosted on The Citrus Segment, the Citrus SA podcast and has been made possible through funding from the Rex Andrew Trust, administered by the SA Citrus Improvement Society.

More information:

The Podcast Station: www.thepodcaststation.com.au

Citrus SA: www.citrussa.com.au

In this episode of Riverland Citrus Stories, Jeff Knispel, Joint Managing Director of Nippy’s, outlines how a small ten-acre mixed fruit property at Moorook in the 1930s evolved into a vertically integrated citrus, juice and dairy business 

Jeff explains how his father Alic began by growing, packing and wholesaling his own oranges in Adelaide, before industry regulation through the Citrus Board disrupted that model 

The family responded by building a packing shed at Moorook and, when faced with surplus juice fruit, began squeezing oranges by hand before school each morning to create what would become the Nippy’s juice brand 

The conversation traces the move into long life processing, the pivot into flavoured dairy products that underpinned business growth, and the expansion into modern citrus packing at Waikerie. Jeff also reflects on food safety lessons and rebuilding the brand following the 1999 salmonella incident, the technical challenges of juice blending, and the ongoing importance of water security, compliance and scale in a changing industry.

This special series is hosted on The Citrus Segment, the Citrus SA podcast and has been made possible through funding from the Rex Andrew Trust, administered by the SA Citrus Improvement Society.

More information:

The Podcast Station - www.thepodcaststation.com.au

Citrus SA - www.citrussa.com.au

David Ingerson represents the third generation of a Riverland citrus family that began with a small mixed orchard at Berri in 1930. From those modest beginnings, the family business has expanded across multiple site, now producing its largest ever crop and exporting the majority of its fruit.

In this conversation, David reflects on nearly a century of industry change. He discusses the transition from rail freight and wooden cases to automated irrigation, export partnerships and data driven production systems. He also shares insights into varietal selection, geographic diversification, marketing evolution and the growing importance of technology in orchard management.

The episode offers a candid look at the realities of modern citrus production, including regulatory pressures, energy costs, labour challenges and global market dynamics. It also highlights the role of strong industry leadership, mentorship and family succession in sustaining long term business growth.

This special series is hosted on The Citrus Segment, the Citrus SA podcast, and has been made possible through funding from the Rex Andrew Trust, administered by the SA Citrus Improvement Society.

More information:The Podcast Station - ⁠www.thepodcaststation.com.au⁠

Citrus SA – ⁠www.citrussa.com.au⁠

This is the first episode in Riverland Citrus Stories, a new special series on The Citrus Segment podcast for Citrus SA, examining how South Australia’s citrus industry developed and evolved over time.

To set the scene, Barry Philp from the Primary Industries and Resources SA History Group provides a detailed historical overview of citrus growing in the state. From early Adelaide orchards to the establishment of River Murray irrigation districts, the episode outlines the structural, technological and market forces that shaped the modern industry.

The discussion explores key turning points including the growth of the juice industry, export market development, cooperative packing sheds, the impact of Brazilian frozen concentrate, structural adjustment during the millennium drought, and advances in irrigation and orchard systems.

Future episodes in the series will feature growers, packers and industry leaders, building on this foundation and exploring the stories behind South Australia’s citrus sector.

You can read Barry's research on the Development of the South Australian Citrus Industry here

This special series is hosted on The Citrus Segment, the Citrus SA podcast, and has been made possible through funding from the Rex Andrew Trust, administered by the SA Citrus Improvement Society.

More information:
The Podcast Station – www.thepodcaststation.com.au
Citrus SA – www.citrussa.com.au

Riverland Citrus Stories explores the people, decisions and developments that have shaped South Australia’s citrus industry.

From early plantings around Adelaide to the River Murray irrigation districts and modern orchard systems, the series follows growers, packers and industry leaders as they reflect on how the industry began, how it adapted through drought and changing markets, and how research and innovation continue to influence citrus growing today.

Produced by Kerrie Lush of The Podcast Station for the SA Citrus Improvement Society and hosted on The Citrus Segment, the Citrus SA podcast.

Made possible through funding from the Rex Andrew Trust.

More information:
The Podcast Station – www.thepodcaststation.com.au
Citrus SA – www.citrussa.com.au

In our final Chair Chat for 2025, Citrus SA Chair Mark Doecke updates growers on what he’s been working on over the past couple of months, including fruit fly management, import concerns, industry advocacy, and how the season has wrapped up. He also shares insights on juice market prices and finishes with a Christmas message for growers.

• Citrus SA continues to push for effective fruit fly tools, including sterile insect technology (SIT).

• SIT has now been deployed in Renmark, with numbers dropping significantly.

• The team is also working on improving the process for bringing empty bins into SA, which is currently costly and complex for growers.

• A proposal to allow pomelo imports from Vietnam is raising red flags due to canker, HLB and other pest risks.

• Citrus SA is supporting Citrus Australia’s submission calling for stronger risk assessment.

• Letters have also been sent to the SA Minister to reinforce industry concerns.

• Expectations for improved fruit quality didn’t quite eventuate, with smaller fruit in some areas and some albedo issues.

• Hot weather and lack of rainfall contributed to size issues.

• Mark stresses the importance of good nutrition, GA, calcium sprays and regular leaf analysis.

• High returns continue to rely on growing high-quality packing fruit.

• Last year’s high juice prices were due to a world shortage, prompting processors to take large volumes.

• This year, stocks are higher and retail prices have dampened demand, so juice prices have returned to normal levels.

• Smaller fruit this season has also contributed to faster fill of the juice bin.

• Mark attended the Japanese Trade Night at Parliament House, helping strengthen export relationships with one of our key markets.

Mark wishes all growers a safe and happy Christmas, hopes you get some time with family (apart from irrigation!), and looks forward to catching up again in the New Year.

Chair Chat with Citrus SA Chair, Mark Doecke

In this episode of The Citrus Segment, Citrus SA Chair Mark Doecke discusses:

• Season update – late varieties still in demand, but fruit size and pack outs have been mixed.
• Juice fruit markets – prices dropping back after last year’s highs.
• Fruit fly management – how the industry is working with PIRSA to target hotspots in Renmark and push for regional “decoupling.”
• Royal Adelaide Show – What’s planned for Citrus SA’s stall this year.

🎧 The Citrus Segment is the official podcast of Citrus SA, the peak body representing citrus growers in South Australia.