Photo: Jeandré van der Walt
Johan van der Schyff, an egg farmer from Plettenberg Bay, has been named Western Cape Young Farmer of the Year at a recent function held at Eensgezind, just outside Durbanville.
READ Farming eggs for family and profit
Johan (36) has been farming for 18 years on the farm JJ van der Schyff and Sons with Angoras, Merinos and lamb feeding systems.
The most significant branch, however, is egg production with an egg distribution depot. In 2006, he also expanded his egg production to Humansdorp in the Eastern Cape.
Currently, Van der Schyff runs about 470 000 layer hens and distributes one million dozen eggs a month.
According to Van der Schyff, his future priority is not to grow bigger but to farm smarter and more efficiently.
READ Aquaponics: get it right, or grow veggies on their own!
“I want to establish the farm as the preferred egg supplier in the Western and Eastern Cape and want to deliver quality and service to our clients,” he says.
He also exports eggs to Namibia and Angola and supplies various chain stores.
He said he was up against some fierce competition and that it’s humbling to receive this prestigious award.
“Young farmers are the future and the survival of our country,” he said.
Other finalists were Fourie Zulch of Ceres, Ian Cunningham of Elgin, Nicolaas Jonker of Bonnievale, Stephan Basson of Malmesbury and Wessel van Dyk of Napier.
Van der Schyff will represent the Western Cape in the Toyota Agri SA National Young Farmer of the Year competition later this year.
