Cotsaris Cherries

Not commonly known as a climate for growing cherries, pioneer-cherry grower, Leon Cotsaris, went against the odds and by 1993 the first cherry trees were planted, embarking on his quest to successfully grow cherries in the warmer, sunny climate of Renmark. “I did not want to put all my eggs in one basket so, I decided to have a go.” The former high school teacher draws his inspiration to grow cherries from reading an article on alternative crops for the Riverland and the idea of cherries “just clicked with me.” There was a study that showed to have the potential for cherries and where they compared the climate in the Riverland to a region in California, suggesting that there could be a possibility to grow cherries. One of the reasons that Riverland cherries are so special is the conditions in which they grow. Renowned for growing best in cool-climates like Adelaide Hills, Riverland plains offer an alternative approach where fruit comes early and available from mid-October to early December.