Problems and knowledge need for increasing durian productivity among farmers in Southern and Eastern Thailand

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the basic information, cultivation conditions, and problems faced by durian farmers, as well as their level of knowledge needs and the factors affecting these needs among durian farmers in the southern and eastern regions of Thailand. Data were collected from 130 durian farmers through structured interviews and analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that most farmers were female, with an average age of 46.45 years, a household size ranging from one to five members, a bachelor’s degree, and an average of 10.69 years of experience in durian farming. Farmers primarily accessed information on durian production through Facebook and decided to cultivate durian due to the suitability of their land. The common planting system was 8×8 meters, with 16–20 trees per rai. In the previous season, farmers earned an average income of 2,231,769.23 THB from durian cultivation, with 1,158 rai under fruit-bearing trees and 512 rai under non-bearing trees. Problems encountered varied across production stages. Farmers reported moderate problems during the recovery and leaf-flushing stage (mean 3.14) and the nutrient accumulation stage (mean 2.83), while problems during the flowering (mean 2.55) and fruiting stages (mean 2.42) were at a lower level. Farmers expressed a high level of knowledge needs regarding increasing durian yield (mean 4.10), particularly in preparing for weather-related challenges (mean 4.18). Hypothesis testing indicated that only durian farming experience significantly influenced farmers’ knowledge needs for yield improvement (p < 0.05). Specifically, farmers with less experience demonstrated higher knowledge needs compared to more experienced farmers. Therefore, relevant agencies should provide training on durian pest and disease management, especially for novice farmers, to ensure accurate cultivation practices. Such interventions would contribute to higher-quality durian production and increased farmer income in the future.