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Abstract
After the deregulation of the South-African agricultural marketing boards, producers are
responsible for their own marketing. Various marketing options emerged due to the new
marketing environment and the producer needs to take a lot of information into account in
order to make the correct marketing decisions. Ample literature exists on the advantages that
marketing plans can provide for the producer such as the reduction of price and income risks.
Productions cost forms an integrated part of a marketing plan and helps the producer to fix
prices in order to run a profitable business. The model that has been developed enhances the
producer to develop an optimal crop choice and marketing strategy, given his own unique
situation as well as the characteristics of his farm business. The model, for example, takes into
account production costs, available marketing funds and cultivation restrictions to develop a
strategy that can ensure a reasonable profit per hectare.