Augmenta’s TeknoKurgu & Onder Ciftci Distribution Agreement

As Augmenta continues to push back the barriers of convention to make Augmented Agriculture a global reality, its recent distribution deal with a Turkish Consortium, TeknoKurgu & OCP Danismanlik Dernekleri has become the latest development in that journey.

TeknoKurgu [http://teknokurgu.com.tr/] is a well-respected Turkish outfit specializing in hi-tech & fully integrated agricultural solutions, while Onder Ciftci Danismanlik Dernekleri is a well-known agricultural consultant cooperative operating all over Turkey.

“We are very excited to collaborate with Augmenta and help implement the ground-breaking technologies which are part of the Augmenta vision,” said Korhan Yuzbasioglu, Tekno Kurgu's Founder & General Manager.

The deal followed a trip to Greece in December 2019 to meet-and-greet the Augmenta team and learn more about Augmenta’s Hardware Platform.

“Our visit was an eye-opener,” he said. “The possibility of real-time Variable Rate fertilizer application was amazing enough. The fact that the Analyzer can be inexpensively retrofitted to existing tractors and spreaders was nothing short of incredible,” he added.

TeknoKurgu & Onder Ciftci were soon field testing Augmenta’s Hardware Platforms on different tractor and spreader combinations in Turkey. Their expertise in precision agriculture afforded the unique opportunity to correlate results with those from the drones they usually use. They found the field maps created by Augmenta’s device to be very accurate.

“The Analyzer is mounted on the tractor cabin just a few meters from the ground and is physically close to the crops it scans – so there’s little wonder that it performs so well,”  confirmed Rasit Yilmaz, Agricultural Advisor & Acting Manager - Onder Ciftci Consulting Association.

A principal benefit of Augmenta’s Hardware Platform is that logistical problems traditionally associated with other sensing methods are eliminated. All the farmer has to do is drive a tractor/spreader equipped with an Analyzer around in the fields, and the rest is automatically taken care of.

After the initial testing, TeknoKurgu & Onder Ciftci soon invited Augmenta on a whistle-stop tour of Turkey in January 2020. It included presentations and demonstrations in Tekirdağ, Hayrabolu, Muratli and Silivri - cities where local farmers could see Augmenta’s Hardware Platform operate for themselves.

“Participation and interest was extraordinarily high,” said Dimitri Evangelopoulos, Augmenta’s Founder & General Manager. “The farmers could see the immediate benefits in terms of ease-of-use and cost savings because of improved efficiencies and reduced wastage,” he said.

A video showcasing our activities is available at: LINK

Because of TeknoKurgu & Onder Ciftci’s significant local reach, the distribution deal is expected to translate into significant market penetration.

“We have a great product, and TeknoKuru knows exactly what they are doing. That’s a formula that can only have positive outcomes,” said George Varvarelis, C.E.O., and fellow Augmenta Co-founder.

Even in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, neither Augmenta nor TeknoKurgu closed their doors. Food production is an essential service upon which we all rely – there is no let-up for anyone involved.

“TeknoKurgu is doing an amazing job, despite the difficult circumstances imposed by the coronavirus issue,” Mr. Evangelopoulos extolled.

“They are partnering with Onder Ciftci Consulting Association, a co-operative of over 1,500 Turkish farmers. Understandably, they play an indispensable role in agriculture. And because they understand the importance of our Analyzer, they continue to work closely with those on the ground - listening to their feedback on functionality and the whole user experience,” he explained.

“This allows us to further refine our systems to better suit the demands of specific markets like Turkey.”

The deal, which includes an initial purchase of 75 devices, certainly marks another important milestone in the Augmenta story.

In these uncertain times, when coronavirus restrictions in Europe and elsewhere vary considerably, Augmenta continues to offer both face-to-face and on-line support, thereby remaining in touch with its ever-growing customer base around the world.