Family-owned farms are more successful

Internationally, about 97% of farms are family-owned which begs the question of whether the term ‘corporate farm’ exists.

A simple random search on corporate farming describes it as commercial farms owned by large companies. There is little evidence or research conducted on corporate farms except for the internationally commonly known farm companies like Monsato.

Interestingly though, many family-owned farms are learning corporate management from such companies.

In South Africa, many of the commercial farms are family operated with each family member possessing a particular skillset type. Willie Bosoga, a layer farmer from Magielieburg bodes that his poultry enterprise is commercially driven.

“Working in the private sector for over 15 years, I quickly identified the differences between a successful poultry farmer and a static poultry farmer. A successful poultry farmer treated their operations with corporate focus while a static poultry farmer treated it as an exercise to display that they can farm.”

Bosoga is a currently the Chairman of the SA Poultry Association Egg board and a Chairperson of its Transformation Committee.

Initially, he started off with 25 000 layers having to dip deep in his reserves. “I spent around R1.2 million for renovations using partly my pension fund money and within a period of 4 years I repaid the loan from the profits we made.”

As it stands to date, the current capacity of New Day Poultry is at 30 000 layers capacity per day. Bosoga attests that his operations can be attributed to family members, farm manager, and corporate professionals.

Currently, the New Day Poultry farm (Pty) Ltd has 15 permanent employees and trains students from Tshwane University of Technology. Bosoga aims to produce 100 000 layers in a few years’ time.

Additional information provided by NAMC.