AGRICULTURAL COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES IN DEVELOPMENT REGION G OF SOUTH AFRICA: AN APPLICATION OF A REGIONAL LINEAR PROGRAMMING MODEL

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to model the agricultural production sector of Region G to determine whether Development Region G of South Africa has comparative advantages with respect to the production of certain agricultural commodities. The analysis is based on an application of an advanced regional linear programming model. With the present marketing system production of fruit and vegetables, livestock and livestock products, and animal feeds, e.g. soya beans, should be expanded. On the other hand, production of staples, e.g. maize and wheat, and other summer cash crops should be scaled down. Under a free market system there also seems to be, apart from the commodities already mentioned above, a comparative advantage for specifically dryland staple food production.