Our guest this week is the owner of Ayer Fide, which brings and implements the first innovations in the agricultural sector in Turkey and aims for more efficient and quality by combining agriculture with technology.
He is one of the doyen of agriculture in Turkey. Ergün Erünal. Founder of Ayer Agriculture company. Despite his 89 years of age, he is still at the helm of his business and is in the process of breaking new grounds by combining the system he established with his team of 120 people with technology.
Ergün Erünal, who has made a name for himself with his success in the agricultural sector, which he established in Aksu at the age of 60 from the construction sector to the tourism sector, is nowadays in the rush of his biggest goal, the project to grow shrimp in the field.
I have been running after him for a while to have an interview with him. As you know, the illness has exhausted us all. Since he was struggling with mild health problems, our interview took a little longer. I was only able to meet with him last week and it turned out to be a very productive interview. I have always been inspired by such people and I can say that Ergün Dede, as everyone at work calls him, has become one of my idols.

Born in 1932 in Istanbul, Ergün Erünal started working in the sector after graduating from ITU (Istanbul Technical University) Civil Engineering in 1956. He says that he has accomplished successful works in stream rehabilitation in the Black Sea and many construction projects in Eskişehir. After the May 24, 1960 revolution, when all tenders were canceled, the constructions stopped. After working abroad for a while, he returned home and continued his work in the construction sector until 1974. Starting to apply the knowledge he gained in France in the tourism sector in Turkey, he started to serve many famous names in Turkey's most successful boutique hotel. In 1982, he brought the camping caravan and bungalow model to tourism in Beldibi. Later, at the age of 60, he founded Ayer Agriculture and started to operate in the 3rd sector of agriculture and continues to this day.

Ergün Erünal, who broke new ground in Turkey, is also the founder of Antalya Erünal Social Sciences High School in Döşemealtı district. Ergün Erünal pioneered the establishment of modern greenhouses in the country by using technology in agriculture and continues to provide consultancy services to companies from various parts of the world.

Ergün Erünal, who brought the first ready seedlings to our country, listed their work one by one and listed them as follows;

'We brought the first ready seedlings to Turkey'

We built an air conditioned greenhouse in Turkey and planted carnations on 32 decares of land. We brought ready seedlings to Turkey for the first time. There was an Israeli company that wanted to bring them. We were planting cloves on 32 decares of land. After planting cloves for 4 years, we started to produce ready seedlings. We brought the first seed sowing machine from Spain in 1993. In 94, we put the first seedlings on the market. Around 420 thousand seedlings were distributed to the market from our company. There were tomato and some pepper seedlings. We are currently selling 35 million seedlings. This year we aim to reach 40 million seedlings.

In Turkey, the rose is called Ayer

In 1996, we produced the first soilless rose in Turkey on 5 decares of land. Until 2017, we continued on 17 decares of land. In fact, the name of the rose in Turkey is known as 'Ayer'. It is very well known in the florists' community. In Turkey, the rose could be produced for 9 months with soil. However, soilless rose production continues for 12 months. We were exporting roses abroad, mainly to Germany, but also to Russia. The reason we gave up rose production is that in other countries the labor is done at very affordable prices, so we no longer have the chance to compete.

Annual production of 500 thousand Anthurium flowers

In 2000, we brought the Anthurium flower to Turkey for the first time. We started with soilless production in 2 acres and now produce it in 4 acres. We supply the Balkan countries and 90 percent to the domestic market. We produce around 500 thousand annually.

'We established our company to bring a breath of fresh air to the country's agriculture'

We established our agricultural company not commercially but directly to bring a breath of fresh air to Turkey's agriculture. We established it to bring technology. We did not take a penny of profit share for 28 years. We started with 2 engineers and 25 staff and now 120 people are working.

'I took part in the agriculture sector at the age of 60'

I founded Ayer Agriculture Company at the age of 60. We are established on a total area of 100 decares. 55 decares of greenhouse, 30 decares of seedlings. Ayer Agriculture is a company that has no ambition to make money, that enjoys doing business and enjoys what it does. This is our only difference. Therefore, we are not after more, we are after making the seedlings we make into seedlings and making them of high quality. Ayer Fide also has a large network of customers in soilless agriculture throughout Turkey. We send seedlings to places such as Konya, Black Sea, Van, Turkmenistan. If there are 50-60 thousand acres of modern greenhouses in Turkey, it is thanks to us, thanks to our guidance. We initiated the computerized fertilization system in Turkey. Our greenhouses are now world-class modern greenhouses. Many companies have come from abroad for consultancy and continue to do so. We do not keep secrets. Our door is open to anyone who wants to learn.