Karapinar, June 8, 2010 - Bayer CropScience Turkey is organizing the first round of 2010 Agro Arena events whose purpose is to demonstrate the ways of improving cereal production in terms of quality and yield to the farmers in Konya, Karapinar, opposite of Apak plateau. First Agro Arena of the year which started on June 7, 2010, has hosted 1500 pioneer farmers from Karapınar, Aksaray, Konya and Karaman up to now. Besides Agro Arena, the mobile laboratory Wheat Clinic developed by Bayer and equipped with modern analysis devices to give farmers the opportunity of getting their crops analyzed by the experts in their own village is put into service in Karapinar.

Bayer CropScience Turkey Country Manager Laurent Perrier indicated that Bayer, world’s number one company in environmental science and number two in crop protection, spent 653 million Euros for R&D. Stating that Bayer, operating in 120 countries, sees a great potential in Turkey, Perrier said “Use of modern agriculture technologies is increasing day by day; however, farmers still need newer technologies and information. Bayer CropScience has been in Turkey for more than 50 years and will continue to contribute to Turkish agriculture.”

Agro Arena in Karapinar is comprised of one wheat field and one sugar beet field demonstrating various Bayer crop protection solutions to the farmers in the concept of “from seed to harvest”. Indicating that Agro Arena fields are selected by Bayer’s technical team and specifically cultivated with the best possible knowledge and products after the plantation, Bayer CropScience Turkey R&D Director Dr. İlhan Kural explained the project: “ With Agro Arenas, we want to show the Turkish farmers that it is possible to increase the production with modern cultivation techniques and crop protection products even under harsh conditions. Wheat and sugar beet are among the most strategic products of our country and our farmers can increase the yield by applying the correct crop protection solutions.”

İlhan Kural points out that Bayer CropScience has a product range from high-quality seed pesticide to strong pesticides and high-performance fungicides tailored to the needs of Turkish farmers regarding cereals: “Agro Arenas are the indication of our commitment to provide the farmers with innovative crop protection products, know-how and technical support.”

Agro Arena aims at information, reciprocal opinion sharing and solutions

Bayer’s Agro project launched in 2007 and reached more than five thousand pioneer farmers by now includes various pesticide spraying programs on different parcels and shows the performance of modern crop protection products with examples. In farmers meetings taking place at Agro Arenas, experts are giving presentations on various products and trainings about the safe use of crop protection products.

Information and technical support form seed to harvest: Wheat Clinic

Wheat Clinic project has been developed by Bayer CropScience in Turkey. In the mobile laboratory where two experts from Bayer are in charge; video system for informative videos, binocular microscope and pH meter and informative printed materials on crop protection and pestilent control are available. Wheat Clinic, like Bayer’s successfully carried out Agro Arena events, is a project accomplished with the aim of providing farmers with information and technical support.

It is announced in advance that when Wheat Clinic will visit which village so that the farmers can collect samples. Bayer CropScience aims at developing the mobile clinic concept to include other regions and other agricultural products for the upcoming years.