GEORGE Manettas has dug deep to bid high at this year's Brisbane Mango Auction this morning.
Mr Manettas, who runs Earth Markets Burleigh, paid $22,000 for the symbolic first tray of mangoes sourced from Sklorios Produce, in Berry Springs, Northern Territory.
Taking place at the Brisbane Produce Market, the auction attracted a significant crowd with emcee, Bill McDonald, and celebrity auctioneer, Haesley Cush, revving up bidders.
Visibly happy with being crowned the Mango King, Mr Menettas said the price was "a bargain" when it came to helping charity.
He told ABC Radio he was expecting it to go much higher. Last year's tray sold for $30,000.
This year’s profits from the mango tray, raffles and other fund raising events will go towards Diabetes Queensland and Life Education Queensland.
Since its modern day inception in 2002, it has raised nearly $900,000 for charity.
Today's auction also served as the launch of this year's Act of Kindness (AOK) Mango Retailer charity promotion.
The campaign will see participating stores throughout South East Queensland ask shoppers to buy $2 mango stickers to place on a “mango tree”, with all funds raising supporting Diabetes Queensland and Life Education Queensland.
The 2016 AOK fundraiser will run throughout October and ends a month later on November 6.
This week's Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA) crop forecast reported that Darwin had so far dispatched 11,920 trays of mangoes.
The combined Katherine and Darwin crop volume is forecast to be 3.5 million trays.
Meanwhile online, the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF) launched its new social media initiative, Queensland Mango Moments.
Every month QDAF will feature a post, showcasing the current phenological stage of north Queensland mango trees, together with a short story and information link, describing current management considerations.
