'n Ekonomiese evaluering van volstruisboerdery in die Oudtshoorn-omgewing

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACR: Approximately 10 years ago South Africa, and specifically the Oudtshoorn region was the only place in the world that supplied ostrich products for the international market. Today, South Africa is only one of several countries with commercial ostrich farming. The largest concentration of ostrich farmers in the world is, however, still in the Oudtshoorn region. Increasing competition, limited possibilities to diversify and the so-called price cost squeeze put the emphasis on aspects such as higher productivity and lower production costs. The profitability of ostrich farming, especially in the Oudtshoorn region, should urgently be determined and evaluated as farmers rely heavily on this venture as an only source of income. Decreases in slaughter realisations and slaughtering numbers have necessarily negative financial implications for the farmers, as well as for the community as a whole. Diversification is often considered strategic to avoiding or minimising risk. However, the possibilities to diversify especially to existing alternatives, have proven limited. One sure solution is to increase productivity of ostrich farming. Production parameters like the number of day-old chicks per female, chick mortality and slaughtering realisations were found to vary considerable providing scope for improvement. It is evident that several factors that determine the generated income lie outside the sphere of influence of the individual ostrich farmer. The large variation in production performances renders the industry risky, especially for farmers with liquidity problems. Two questionnaires as well as group discussion techniques were used to evaluate the economics of ostrich farming. Income and costing budget models were constructed on Microsoft Excel to be able to do calculations to the level of gross margin. A complete representative ostrich-farming unit was constructed to do calculations to the level of net farm income. The budget models were applied to (1) representative ostrich production practices for each of the three phases in the production process of ostrich farming, and (2) the representative ostrich-farming unit. The effect of different critical factors on the gross margin and net farm income of ostrich farming were thereafter evaluated. Different scenarios were also evaluated. The results of these analyses are representative of ostrich farming in the Oudtshoorn region. A computer model was developed whereby ostrich farming can be evaluated economically. This model can also be applied to assist individual farmers with their planning.As no research results exist on the economics of ostrich farming at micro level, several questions regarding the economics of ostrich farming prompted this study. These questions were answered using the above-mentioned computer models. The survival of the ostrich industry in the Oudtshoom region with its limited resources depends on a secure lead in technology which will enable farmers to produce products of higher quality, but also at lower costs than the rest of the world.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University