Business-oriented Production of the Coopertive Women Group in the Upper North of Thailand

Abstract

            The objective of this research was to investigate the business-oriented production of the cooperative women groups in the upper north of the country. Population studied were chairladies of cooperative women groups who owned business – oriented production. The results of this study showed that there were 33 cooperative women groups in the upper north which owned business – oriented production. Sixteen groups of which were in Chiang Mai Province. These productions were categorized into 5 types including food preservation, hand – woven fabric and its products, nursery plant, plant product preservation, and others. There were total of 54 products.

            Chairladies of the women cooperative groups were 43.74 years of age, mostly married with primary school education and occupied this position for about 2.65 years. The study on profit margin showed that nursery plant production was the production with most rate return of 96 percent. Other productions with more than 50 percent rate return included Kao – tan, concentrated passion fruit juice, bucket drinking water, lady's dress and banana paste. Most of the production gained more than 30 percent return rate. While some productions lost profit margin which were broom, funerial ceremony flower arrangement, fresh flower wreath and chili paste. Long shelve live products had more marketing channels than any other kind of products.

            It was suggested that supporting on low cost – high profit margin production e.g. nursery plant production should be promoted. Development of the products and market should be done at the same time.