Factors Related to the Production of Durian Replacing of Rubber of Farmers in the Project to Develop a Small-Scale Rubber Farmer for Sustainability

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study 1) personal demographic characteristic and economic factors, 2) knowledge on durian production, 3) durian production of farmers 4) factors related to the production of durian replacing of rubber farmers. The samples were 143 rubber farmers who participated in the Project to Develop Small-Scale Rubber Farmers for Sustainability with Rubber Authority of Thailand and were planting durian replacing rubber in Noppitam district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province. The interview schedule was used to collect the data. The data was carried out by the descriptive statistic and correlation coefficient. The results showed that the farmers were average of 46.43 years old and graduated from primary school at 43.3% with an average of 26.36 years of experience in rubber planting. They had rubber planting areas 19.02 rai, average income from rubber plantation 37,500 THB/year, experience in durian production 7.27 years, durian planting area 11.04 rai which was 58.04% of the total rubber planting area, and average initial investment expenditure on durian production at 20,756.60 THB/rai. While changing to produce durian replacing rubber, the average price was 20.28 THB/kg for rubber and 100.71 THB/kg for durian. About 77.6% of farmers had knowledge on durian production at high level (13.34–20.00 scores) with an average 15.05 scores out of 20 scores and 79.0% of them produced durian according to Good Agricultural Practice at high level (13–18 items) with the maximum practice at 18 items and the minimum practice at 8 items. The knowledge on durian production significantly related to durian production of farmers (P < 0.05). Therefore, agricultural extension officials should transfer knowledge on durian production to the farmers to improve durian product quality.