POULTRY
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any new business.
Firstly, ensure that a market
for home-grown eggs exists in
the area. Establish that not
only are there enough people
who will buy the eggs but
there are enough who will be
prepared to pay enough to
ensure a profit. Remember
also that the number of
prospective egg buyers in a
smallholding area will
probably be fewer than in the
suburbs because many ~ but
by no means all ~
smallholders keep their own
chickens for precisely that
purpose.
How one describes the eggs
will affect what one can
charge for them. Think about
what you can offer and
examine the terms that are
bandied about when it comes
to eggs. Can you describe
your eggs as free range? This
means eggs which are
produced by poultry which
are not caged and have daily
access to an outdoor range
area accessible through
openings in the side of a
barn.
Do you want to run the
gauntlet of “organic”
requirements? Organic would
imply that not only are the
hens reared on pasture that
has no pesticides etc, but in
addition, the food given to
them has been grown in
pesticide-free conditions,
without the addition of any
chemicals, hormones or
artificial additives. Few
smallholders can live up to
that.
You will need to consider
where you will sell your eggs.
Will you take a stall at a
regular farmer's market? Will
you supply a store in your
area? Will you simply set up a
little stall outside your plot?
Depending on your local
bylaws each of these options
may come with hindrances in
the form of permits and
licenses. Transport of the
produce, and the cost of sales
staff, should be factored in, or
if you intend to do the selling
yourself, the cost of your
time.
There is legislation governing
the sale of eggs, in the form
of the Agricultural Product
Standards Act, 1990. The
latest regulations regarding
the grading, packing and
marking of eggs destined for
sale were published in 2011.
No person shall sell eggs for
human consumption in the
Republic of South Africa,
unless:
K Eggs are sorted according
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to size and grade,
K Eggs comply with prescribed standards,
K The container/outer
container complies with
specifications,
K The container/outer
container complies with the
marking requirements,
K The eggs sold in loose
quantity comply with
specifications ,
K Eggs do not contain any
prohibited articles as per the
Foodstuffs, Cosmetics &
Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act
No. 54 of 1972).
Sizes range from Small, which
is a minimum of 33g, to
Super Jumbo, which is more
than 72g.
Eggs should be clean and
have intact shells. The shell
membrane may be slightly
quivery. Eggs should be free
of blood spots, absorbed
odours, and any signs of
embryo development or
mould.
There are tables which
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