Levin, J.B. (author), Ortmann, G.F. (author), Woodburn, M.R. (author), and Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nata, Pietermaritzburg; Department of Statistics and Biometry, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
South Africa
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 100 Document Number: C08424
James F. Evans Collection, In a postal survey conducted among 199 commercial farmers in Natal during 1993, sources and costs of information were studied. Respondents indicated that the most important sources of information was own farm records/budgets. This source was ranked highest for production, marketing and financial decisions by respondents from all regions in the province. Respondents spent an average of R3 504 per year on information sources. Keeping own farm records and preparing budgets was the most time consuming activity while it had the second highest expenditure of all the information sources considered. The greatest expenditure was on tax preparers/accountants which contributed 44 percent to total information costs. Discriminant analyses showed that various sources of information were rated differently by farmers depending on region and farm size. (original)
