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Grapefruit is a winter fruit but they are available in limited quantities in autumn and spring. In spring more grapefruits in stores are likely to be from Queensland or imported.
Grapefruit season in Australia is typically from April to October but supplies are generally available most months outside of summer. The peak supply is in July and August when the harvest seasons overlap in major growing regions.
Most commercial grapefruit trees are started by grafting and may take three to five years to begin yielding fruit. They can produce fruit for up to 50 years in optimal conditions.
White grapefruit season is limited in Australia with only small quantities available locally. They are less popular than ruby and pink varieties so are not widely grown in commercial quantities.
Ruby grapefruit season peaks alongside pink grapefruit season in winter. Ruby flesh grapefruits are often preferred for sweetness so may need more time to ripen on the tree.
Pink grapefruit season is usually in the winter months the same time as ruby grapefruit. Generally speaking the later the harvest the sweeter the fruit. Albeit most pink grapefruit are loved for their tartness.
Grapefruit are thought to be native to Barbados and are related to the pomelo from Asia. This means many varieties suit growing conditions in Australia well.
Grapefruit growing is reasonably spread around Australia. Around one third of grapefruits are grown in NSW with another 25% or more grown in South Australia. In any given year up to 10% of grapefruit available in stores is imported.
