NEWS
MOHAIR AFFAIR
Farming with Angora Goats
At Wolmaransstad where Bastion was overseeing the spraying of lime over the land occupied by the Wolmaransstad Study Group , we met Petrus Marx , a young farmer and Chairman of the Wolmaransstad Study Group , who is pioneering in a market that is not very popular in South Africa , even more so in the Northwest province .
Kefiloe Manthata Senwes Journalist
We had a chat with Petrus to find out more about the Angora goat business and why he chose to go against the norm and delve into uncharted territory . After completing a BCom degree in 2014 and working a 9 to 5 job for a year , Petrus decided to join his father , Frans Marx , and his brother-in-law , Reco Pieterse , in running the family farming business .
WHAT LED TO THE DECISION TO GIVE UP THE 9 TO 5 AND FARM FULL TIME ?
I chose farming because I grew up on a farm . Farming has been passed down through the generations in our family and it is my passion . It is a lifestyle . I would never trade this for anything in the world .
WHEN EVERYONE AROUND YOU WAS FARMING WITH TRADITIONAL CROPS AND LIVESTOCK , HOW DID YOU FIND
YOURSELF IN SUCH A NICHE MARKET ? WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS MARKET ?
We started out as game farmers , in breeding camps that we had set up for the game . When the game prices started to decline , I started looking for something more profitable than cattle to be able to farm in the breeding camps . Sheep would not work because they are easily stolen and the Angoras made better financial sense . I took the chance to see if Angoras could successfully adapt in this region . Four years later , here we are . Another reason why I was drawn to this species was because of their grazing habits . They eat leaves and now I utilise my trees and shrubs in the field to feed them and as a result they have less internal parasites .
THE MOHAIR INDUSTRY HAS VERY STRICT GUIDELINES FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION . WHAT PROCESSES DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ADHERE TO THESE GUIDE- LINES .
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SENWES SCENARIO | LENTE � SPRING 2021