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Starting a Pig Farming Business in South Africa – When starting pig farming in South Africa you will need a plan. In fact, everything pig farming enterprise needs a plan, from the thousand-sow unit to the two-pig herd in the backyard of a poor-resource owner wanting to increase his family’s income.
Whether it is a large commercial pig farm or a tiny one, the basic planning rules are the same. The first thing to start with is the desired outcome, the end result. Do you want to breed and sell weaners? Or buy weaners and grow them to slaughter? Or buy and sell pigs as a speculator? Or breeding and raising young pigs up to slaughter-age?
The second thing to consider when starting a pig farm is to estimate the market requirements – how flexible, seasonal and what competition there already is.
Thirdly, consider the restrictions, regulations, health and environmental by-laws, town planning intentions for the town or area you plan to set up your farm?
Then, do a preliminary cost of production. You will need to calculate the basic cost of raw materials, what buildings (such as housing) are required, how much mechanization as well as the number of workers and their skill levels you will require.
If the end-product is perishable (pork meat), determine what is the shelf-life and storage capacity, refrigeration, transport, packaging you will need.
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