THE cherry season has started and the cherry queen has been crowned at the SA Produce Markets last month.
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To celebrate the start of the SA cherry season, a 5kg box of cherries was auctioned off for a record price of $60,000, donated to the Variety SA charity, with Christine Scalzi getting the winning bid and therefore crowned the cherry queen of 2023.
SA Produce Market chief executive officer Angelo Demasi said Ms Scalzi was the first ever cherry queen and he was pleased with the record amount of money donated.
"It's going to a good cause in children in need and it's a cause very close to our heart," he said.
"This particular fundraising event has always been about raising money for children."
Despite the heavy showers last month, the cherry season was expected to be positive.
"We thought it was going to be an issue with the deluge of rain," he said.
"But it looks like it's going to be a great season and we'll have plenty of juicy cherries for Christmas."
Primary industries and Regional Development Minister Clare Scriven said the event was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the SA cherry industry.
"It's a wonderful annual event and it's been going since 1996 and it's a really good opportunity for producers to get together and bid for the first box of cherries, and $60,000 is a great outcome" she said.
"It also brings more attention to cherry industry in South Australia and the strong benefits it brings to our economy.
"Our cherry production was valued at over $20 million, producing over 2000 tonnes and it's part of our good story as South Australians about are clean and high quality produce."
Cherry grower Joyce Ceravolo, Ceravolo Orchards, Ashton, said she expected to be able to provide people with lots of quality cherries this Christmas, regardless of the weather.
"Farmers are super resilient and there's always beautiful fruit regardless of the weather and there will be amazing sweet cherries for Christmas," she said.
"It has been up until now a really good year we've had early cherries and they've been big and beautiful."
Ms Scalzi said she was overwhelmed to be crowned cherry queen and felt royal after the ceremony.
"It's a great charity to support children in need and I love to support that charity," she said.
"And the $60,000 will support a lot of children."
Through her experience in her fruit and veg wholesaler family business Scalzi Produce, Pooraka, Ms Scalzi has seen a demand in fruit in the festive season.
"Being the festive season all the stone fruit is coming through and hopefully the weather will start warming up," she said.
"Next month being December, it will start getting busier, because everyone's in a festive mood and families are coming together so they'll spend more money on their produce."
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