AN EFFICIENCY COMPARISON BETWEEN PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME FARMERS ON THE TRANSVAAL HIGHVELD

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Abstract
Three groups of farmers on the Transvaal Highveld were compared: Full-time farmers, part-time farmers entering the industry with the aim of eventually becoming full-time farmers and persons intending to farm part-time on a permanent basis. Management indices based on production functions indicate that full-time farmers were most efficient entrepreneurs and those who intend to farm part-time permanently the least efficient. The general organisation of full-time farmers appears to be better than that of part-time farmers. The difference between the two groups of part-time farmers appears to be operational in nature. Those intending to become full-time farmers fared better in most individual enterprises than permanent part-time farmers.