“We've got the most popular show food at the show and it's called Chips on a Stick,” food vendor Deep Shah is telling SBS.
Mr Shah is among hundreds of exhibitors returning to the Sydney Royal Easter Show this year after it was cancelled in 2020 due to coronavirus restrictions at a cost of $10 million. It was only the third cancellation in the show's almost 200-year history.
For many rural producers, farmers and breeders, the show is the most important event in the calendar, and unique food offerings like Mr Shah's are a big attraction for many of the 60,000 ticket holders allowed in each day under COVIDsafe guidelines.
“This is my 22nd show. It is the biggest show in Australia and I've always loved to be part of it,” says Mr Shah, who lives in Annangrove in Sydney’s Hills District.
He's a regular at many shows but says the cancellation of last year’s Easter event severely impacted his income.
Deep's stall is a regular on the show circuit. Source: SBS Felicity Ogilvie
“Last March our trucks were all packed, the trailers were packed, everything was ready to go, and unfortunately the show was shut."
It wasn’t the only cancellation. Most of the major 2020 agricultural events across the country were abandoned due to coronavirus restrictions. Even this year, COVID-19 fears forced the closure of half the smaller agricultural shows.
“It had a massive impact. You look at your email and it just says ‘cancelled, cancelled, cancelled’. Our whole year is based around these shows.
“We were lucky we had some savings and we were living off the savings.”
Sydney Royal Easter Show General Manager Murray Wilton says this year’s show wouldn’t be up and running without federal government support, in the form of a $15 million grant. The funds were part of $36 million allocated to help agricultural show societies recover from the effects of the pandemic.
“And we’ve been told the Sydney Royal Easter Show is the largest ticketed event in the world since the COVID-19 pandemic started. So that is just the icing on the cake,” he says.
Sydney Royal Easter Show general manager Murray Wilton. Source: SBS Felicity Ogilvie
Visitor support for the Sydney agricultural show also remains strong, with organisers claiming record ticket pre-sales.
“We sold out over the Easter long weekend which is remarkable, despite the cap of 60,000 [visitors per day]. And we are tracking well on all the other days also.”
First-time show exhibitors Sandrine Decronumbourg and her husband Olivier Mesrobian, known as Mo, make and sell resin jewellery.
“We are happy to be part of something that is very important for Australian people,” Ms Decronumbourg says.
Sandrine Decronumbourg with one of the creations. Source: SBS Felicity Ogilvie
The couple migrated to Australia from France. Mo is a former interior designer who trained in Paris. Some of his 'Mo Resin' designs incorporate Aboriginal art under license.
“Our website is called ‘Shared Dreaming’ and that says it all,” Ms Decronumbourg says.
The success of this year’s Easter show caps off a bumper year for Australian agriculture, despite the pandemic.
Department of Agriculture March quarter forecasts show the sector is on track for a record value of $66 billion this year due to larger harvests of grain, oilseeds and pulses in all states.
It's not all good news, though. Despite higher prices for cattle and sheep, livestock and meat exports fell eight per cent as farmers slowly rebuilt their flocks after the drought.
The show provides a chance for those from across the regions to get together.
Jerry Bugeja, from Austral, has displayed his homegrown vegetables at the show for the past 10 years and is known for growing giant vegetables.
He was part of the Southern Districts exhibit team which won best display this time around.
Jerry Bugeja and his wife Vicky. Source: SBS
His biggest pumpkin this year weighs in at 100 kilograms.
“It takes five months to grow, and it is a lot of work,” he says. “But it's lovely to be back and to see the crowds. It's really fantastic. We love it.”
Jerry Bugeja spends many months cultivating giant vegetables for the show. Source: SBS Felicity Ogilvie
The Sydney Royal Easter Show runs until 12 April.
