How to start farming with R1 million
Could a recently retrenched individual who has always dreamt of farming take R1 million from his or her pension savings and start a farming operation in South Africa’s current economic climate? The answer is yes, no, and maybe.
In this case, the devil truly lies in the detail.
For this hypothetical farm, Farmer’s Weekly limited the scope to pig, poultry (both layers and broilers), vegetables and lucerne. While experts quickly dismissed some of these hypothetical farms, others just might be possible.
A few assumptions are necessary. The first is that the farm is in Gauteng, close to a market. The second is that the potential farmer does not own land and has no political means of obtaining land.
According to Michael Corbett, FNB’s head of agriculture in Gauteng, leasing land would probably be
