CO-OPERATIVE FORESTRY

Abstract

In South Africa there are approximately 2,700 plantations with an area of less than 500 acres each. The small plantation owner cannot adopt the profitable, big scale approach to forestry and timber utilization. He suffers disadvantages because he cannot afford to engage technical staff; he cannot manage his small plantation on a sustained yield basis; he cannot mechanize his heavy operations; he cannot establish industries based on the yield of his plantations alone; he does not have the bargaining power to negotiate favourable terms with industry for the disposal of his product.