Affects of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Procurement of Production Factors of Rice Farmers in Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

      This study was conducted to investigate: 1) socio-economic attributes of rice farmers; 2) affect of COVID-19 pandemic on the procurement of production factors; and 3) factors having relationship with the procurement of production factors of the rice farmers. The sample group consisted of 170 rice farmers in Mae Rim district, Chiang Mai province obtained by multi-stage sampling, Taro Yamane is formula (0.05 error) and simple random sampling. A set of questionnaire (α=0.813) was used for data collection and analyzed by using descriptive statistics/multiple regression analysis. The data were collected during October-December, 2021
     Results of the study revealed that most of the r espondents were male, 62.54 years old on average, married and elementary school graduates. They had 5.90 agricultural/household work force and 8.25 rai of rice field each on average. The respondents had an annual income earned from ricegrowing for 39,352.94 baht and form non-Agricultural sector for 3,852.94 baht per month on average. However, their household expenses was 10,035.88 baht per month on average. Their own rice capital used for growing rice was 27,567.05 baht each growing season. The respondents joined educational trip 1.14 time a year and they had 31.61 years of experience in rice growing. They were one agricultural group members. The respondents perceived news about COVID-19 pandemic 43.89 times per month. They perceived agricultural information through various media 7.75 times per month on average. As a whole, the respondents had an affect on COVID-19 pandemic at a lowest level (𝛘=1.25) The following had a statistically significant relationship (sig. <0.05) with the procurement of production factors due to COVID-19 pandemic: a number of agricultural workforce (sig.=0.030), household expenses (sig.=0.022),capital source (sig.=0.011), experience in rice growing (sig.=0.001), and perception about COVID-19 pandemic (sig.=0.000).