iMilk-Elgo: The features of the new Greek milk app

The iMilk-Elgo application for mobile devices of the Ag. ministry’s ELGO Dimitra agricultural support organization gives free access to data on deliveries, values and analyses of the milk traded within Greece, in an easily understandable format, using maps and graphs, and is available to every Greek citizen.

In addition, milk producers are given the possibility to access the analytical data concerning them. The design of the iMilk-Elgo application is based on the validity of the data maintained by the Directorate for the Management of Milk and Meat Controls, the General Directorate for Quality Assurance of Agricultural Products, ELGO DIMITRA, in the databases it has for the fresh milk of the primary sector, which come from all the country’s producers/breeders and dairy industries.

It should be noted that breeders can log in using TAXISnet credentials, while particular emphasis has been placed on the security of the system so that each user only sees information to which they are allowed  access.

The result is direct access to the right information by everyone, on the critical dimensions of the product (quantity, quality, price, geographical and time location, etc.), having as innovation the uniqueness of the specific service in the industry and the friendliness of use from a mobile device (eg mobile phone).

It is important to mention that the regulations for the protection of personal data (GDPR) are observed, so that the data and information concerning the individual activity of each producer is available only to him through an identification process through Taxisnet. On the other hand, information at the level of Regional unit, Region and country, is available to all users of the application.

How it works

The imilk-Elgo application (App) provides an overview, to every mobile user, of the milk traded in the country. Emphasis has been placed on simplicity so that a non-specialist can understand the information presented.

The information is initially presented on the map of Greece using colors to which ELGO DIMITRA – iMilk-Elgo application correspond dynamic price ranges. Throughout the course there is consistency so that the user can adapt easily and with a quick glance understand what he sees.

The main idea of the map is that up to five categories are displayed that are colored from green to red, with green being the best and red being the worst. If e.g. the user wants to look up delivery averages, green shows him in which regions producers produce more milk. If, on the other hand, it he wants values of microbial populations, green appears in the areas where the averages are lower. The map works in layers – initially it shows prices by region.

If the user selects (by tapping) a region, the application drills down and shows the breakdown by Regional Unit. Likewise, he can then select a Regional Unit to see more information. In addition to the map, diagrams (eg bar graphs) have been used that show the evolution of the elements, mainly in the analysis at the level of months. In all the previous ones (maps / diagrams) the user can choose filters of period, type of milk (cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, etc.), type of information (average amount / value / price of analysis) and in case of seeing analyses, the type of analysis (e.g. fat, protein, microbes, etc.).

How breeders are connected

In case the user is a milk producer, he has the ability to log into the application with his TAXISnet credentials in order to see the personalized information concerning him. In this case, the application directs him to the Taxisnet user authentication service.

Successfully completing the process on Taxisnet, the application checks if he is indeed a milk producer by drawing information from the producer register of ELGO DIMITRA. In case of successful certification, the application displays additional data related to his activity as a milk producer.

More specifically, on the screens that present charts there is now a combination of the data of the averages and its personal data. Thus the producer can immediately see his situation in relation to the respective averages and establish his position compared to the average at the level of Territory / Region / Regional Unit. He can also see data on milk deliveries and the prices of his analyses, which come either from ELGO DIMITRA’s accredited laboratories or other analysis laboratories. Finally, on the home screen of the application, useful News and Announcements published by ELGO DIMITRA appear.