แผนการผลิตพืชที่เหมาะสมของกลุ่มเกษตรกรผู้ปลูกผักอินทรีย์ภายใต้เงื่อนไขและข้อจำกัดด้านทรัพยากรการผลิตและการตลาดในจังหวัดเชียงใหม่

Abstract

Organic agricultural production is being popular these days as it is good for the environmentand consumers’ health. Farmers are more interested to produce organic produce but the problems are sometimes overproduction and inefficiency of input use. This study had as its objectives to attain optimal production plans of organic vegetables given the constraints on resources and markets in Chiang Mai province. 80 farmers in three districts namely Mae Taeng, San Sai and Mae On were interviewed. Linear programming to maximize returns over production and transportation costs was used as the model of analysis. Constraints included availability of land, capital and the quantity of produce which could be sent to different markets. Nine organic vegetables were considered, namely, chili, broccoli, cauli flower, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, tomato, yard long bean, cucumber and kale. The analysis was made for three seasons: rainy season, winter and summer. The results found that optimal organic vegetable production plans of the three districts, while still diversified, were more specialized in how each district produced their vegetables when compared with current production. For the rainy season, the land was used to produce cabbages, cucumber and kale in Mae Taeng district; tomato and yard long bean in San Sai district and chili, broccoli, cauli flower and Chinese cabbage in Mae On district. In winter, the land was used to produce cucumber and kale in Mae Taeng district; chili and cauli flower in San Sai and all other vegetables in Mae On district. In summer, Chinese cabbage, tomato were produced in Mae Taeng district, yard long bean and kale in San Sai district, while all other vegetables in Mae On district. As for marketing of organic vegetables, in all production seasons, organic vegetables could be sent to community markets in the respective district but the volume that could be sold was not large. The organic markets in the city and the market in the Organic Vegetable Center could receive certain types of produce from each district depending on season. Sensitivity analysis revealed that land devoted to organic vegetable production which could be sent to markets in each season could be increased about 20 percent. The market in the rainy season could absorb about twice the previous volume sold while in winter and summer, it could absorb about 50 percent increase in the volume sold. The results of this study implied that organic vegetable farmers should come together to plan their production so as to be able to consider market constraints and minimize transportation costs. This will enable them to produce and sell organic vegetables more efficiently.