Use of Rice Production Cost Reducing Technology of Farmers, Doembang Sub-district, Doembangnangbuat District, Suphanburi Province

Abstract

Objectives of this research were to study 1) personal demographic and economic data, 2) knowledge on rice production cost reduction technology, 3) opinion on rice production cost reduction technology, and 4) use of rice production cost reduction technology of 128 farmer in Doembang Sub-district, Doembangnangbuat District, Suphanburi Province. Interview schedule was used to collect data and descriptive statistics analysis including frequencies, percentage, maximum and minimum score, and arithmetic mean were employed to analyze the data. The results revealed that 1) most of farmers at 58.6 percent were female with average age of 55.81 years, they had elementary level of education at 59.4 percent with average rice growing experience at 28.88 years, they had an average of 33.59 rai of paddy field, they had an average of 4 farm labors with 2 household labors, and 2 hired labors, their average family income was 477,089.84 Baht/year and average rice income at 453,549.22 Baht/year, their average income from rice grain was 6,921.88 Baht/rai and average cost of rice production at 3,472.46 Baht/rai, 2) they had the knowledge on rice production cost reduction technology in 4 aspects including rice seed, cultivation land preparation, chemical fertilizer usage, reducing the pesticide usage at high level with average mean score of 17.25 points from the total score 20 points, 3) more than 50 percent of farmers, they agreed on rice production cost reduction technology, and 4) farmers used rice production cost reduction technology in all aspects; that is rice seed 62.5 percent, cultivation land preparation 46.1 percent, chemical fertilizer usage 67.2 percent, and reducing the pesticide usage 84.4 percent. Therefore, agricultural extension officers should continue to develop and further promote the rice production cost reduction technology for farmers by creating understanding correctly for farmers and encourage them to be confident in the benefits of using this technology.