Words from Deon Graupner

As a passionate crop farmer for more than 20 years, I experienced first-hand the joy of growing crops. Also, what it feels like to make wrong marketing decisions and the uncertainty caused by changing rainfall patterns and market prices.

During a particularly difficult season when I tried to predict the direction of market prices, I made an emotional decision that nearly ended in disaster. Market prices kept falling and the farm suffered enormous financial losses. This is when I decided there must be a better way.

My journey to better understand crop marketing had started. I spent the next few years doing market research and applying my insights to practical crop pricing for the farm.

I then explored building different marketing model prototypes and testing their effectiveness in the market. The question that needed answering was: “How could I use my valuable farming experience and my passion for crop marketing to create something really unique to help other farmers?”

During this time, crop prices had again plummeted to an all-time low and I remember attending a meeting where crop farmers were discussing the dire situation.

The host asked the crowd if anyone had sold some of their crops before the crash and why they did so. An elderly gentleman at the back of the room shyly raised his hand and simply stated that he had “because it made money”. Nobody was able to accurately predict the sudden price drop, yet that one person had made a well-timed decision. That got me thinking… “Why try to predict the future when the solution is right in front of you? If your crop will make a profit today, why not sell some of it?”

This simple truth was then built into a model and it immediately started showing positive results on long-term data testing. That`s when I integrated the research findings from prominent international scientists with this simple pricing truth to create a single evidence-based model for better crop pricing.

The model was tested against data from even more farmers and its results were consistently more stable and profitable. By combining feedback from the farmers, my farming experience and this new model with cloud computing and smartphone technology into a single platform, the CropsProfit app was born.

It was very important to me to package all the features into a simple, familiar interface that feels natural to use. And I am very glad to be able to share it with anyone involved in crop farming.

Technical lead on CropsProfit

Our easy-to-use app is complemented by a wide range of cloud technologies. We ensure you have access to real-time market information and team activities. By connecting the details of your farm`s situation to real-time market information, you get insights into marketing your crops and making consistent profits - like you have never seen before.

How to make the most of your CropsProfit app - Video