With attendance of over 15,000 visitors, representing important agricultural regions in Turkey, the International Field Days Turkey event organized by the DLG is an important event for Turkish farming professionals. The 12-hectare field event offers comprehensive practical knowledge about most aspects of modern crop cultivation, such as production techniques presented by tractor and equipment companies as well as seed, fertilizer and crop protection suppliers. The products and services were presented in outdoor exhibition booths and trial plots.
International Field Days Turkey, 25-28 May 2021, took place as an open-air event, which provided ample space for the visitors and the many trials plots with outdoor booths. In his opening speech, Onur Kiraz, Managing Director of DLG's subsidiary organizing the outdoor trade fair, DLG Fuarcilik, emphasized that the safety of visitors and exhibitors in relation to the pandemic had played an important part in the planning of the event. The International Field Days Turkey is not only the largest but also the first open-air field day event in Turkey, an initiative driven by the DLG (German Agricultural Society), premiering in 2010.
At the field day event held in Tekirdağ, Karaevli northwest Turkey last week, Mr. Surur KIR, Head of Agriculture and Forestry Ministry Department of Training and Publication, highlighted that the field day concept, which was implemented by DLG Fuarcilik in Turkey, is one of the best ways to train farmers and exchange know-how. Mr KIR emphasized that the ministry continues to lend its strong support to this event. At the opening ceremony, Murat Eren, the deputy mayor of Tekirdağ, and Kadir Albayrak, the governor of the province Tekirdağ, delivered the welcome address. Farmers and numerous representatives from agricultural organizations were in attendance.
Covering an area of over 12 hectares, some 122 different wheat varieties and 35 different types of forage crops, planted in November 2020, were presented in individual trial plots. In this way, the winter crops were cultivated on site and the farmers had the opportunity to follow the cultivation techniques and input parameters of the crop, plot by plot. In addition, farmers visiting the field event received detailed explanations from agronomists on both the cultivation process by experts and the characteristics of each variety. With large exhibition stands of some 300 square meters, each machinery exhibitor was able to demonstrate the equipment with explanations from professional staff.
A highlight at the event was the new focus on start-up companies presenting novel ideas, innovation technologies and inventive solutions for modern farmers. “This initiative to include start-up companies and their ideas was driven by a recognition that innovative ideas, especially in the farming sector, improve not only productivity but also inspire. Innovative ideas also often find faster access to the market and give new momentum to the entire industry,” commented Kiraz.
The International Field Days Turkey event brings together leading farmers, agricultural resource and service suppliers, innovative start-ups and leading investors from the farming sector to share experience, present innovations and network in a professional environment.
The next DLG event in Turkey is “Potato Days Turkey” held 18-20 August, 2021 at Karaomerler-Konya, Turkey.
Since 2010, a range of successful DLG trade fair concepts have been implemented in Turkey with various adaptations to local conditions. DLG headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, has been involved in Turkish agriculture since 1988, starting with a project to further knowledge among professional farmers in the Thrace region. A series of successful agricultural farmer projects followed, which culminated in the establishment of the DLG subsidiary DLG Fuarcilik in 2009, focusing primarily on exhibitions and events to bring knowledge to professional farmers. DLG International has subsidiaries in 12 countries.
