'We have specialist expertise'

Added on 28 November 2024

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L-R: Koen van Wijk, Ece Polat, Tansel Bükülen

The Growtech in Antalya serves as one of the world's largest agricultural trade exhibitions, acting as a bridge between Europe and Asia. Tansel Bükülen, a Turkey-born professional living in the Netherlands, represents Royal Brinkman at the Turkish fair. At the exhibition, he observed visitors, including growers and potential buyers, from numerous countries. “There are many suppliers of horticultural materials here, but we set ourselves apart by having a specialist for every product category.”

According to Bükülen, Turkish protected horticulture currently consists of only 1,500 hectares of high-tech greenhouses compared to 60,000 to 70,000 hectares of low- and mid-tech greenhouses. He believes modernisation is essential for these growers to increase yield per square metre and generate higher incomes. However, many small growers lack the budget to invest, he notes.

“Nonetheless, we are seeing some scaling-up, which is leading to the emergence of larger businesses. For these growers, it is important to have a supplier that offers a comprehensive range and reliable management. That’s what we provide with our complete package of horticultural supplies, excellent service, and expert advice.” Royal Brinkman’s offerings range from twine, clips, fertilisers, shading agents, ground cover, disinfectants, and substrates to pipe rail trolleys. Even small-scale growers require many tools, and there are plenty of local suppliers available in the market.

Bükülen explains: “The difference between them and us at Royal Brinkman is our completeness and the fact that we employ a specialist for every product category. Our website is full of product knowledge, and we provide highly targeted advice. Moreover, growers can place their orders digitally or via email with ease, which is another advantage of doing business with us.”

Sustainable Choices

One of the pieces of advice Bükülen shares is to prioritise quality and sustainability. “Take, for example, the pipe rail trolleys from Berg Hortimotive that we sell. They are in a higher price category , but they are also more user-friendly and last much longer than cheaper alternatives from other suppliers.”

Royal Brinkman also operates a ‘one-stop shop’ in Turkey, with a large inventory of readily available products. The Dutch horticultural supplier has been present in Turkey since 2012, recognising the growing importance of this market.

At this year’s Growtech , Bükülen noticed an increased presence of exhibitors from the Netherlands as well as more visitors from countries in the regions surrounding Turkey. “These include growers, but also dealers and intermediaries looking to purchase supplies. We also see potential suppliers of such materials visiting our stand.”

Author: Koen van Wijk

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