Factors Related to Growers’ Need for Sustainable Strawberry Cultivation in Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study 1) Socio - economic background of farmers 2) Strawberry cultivation management according to academic requirements 3) Sustainability in strawberry cultivation needs of farmers and 4) Factors related to growers’ need for sustainable strawberry cultivation. The target population consisted of 541 strawberry growers in Chiang Mai, and 230 samples were selected by stratified random sampling. The interview form was used as a tool for data collection. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and their relationship were determined using multiple regression. The results showed that 1) 74.78 % of strawberry farmers were male, average age at 45.73 years old, 39.57 % of farmers completed primary school education level, average number of household members at 4.69 people, average number of strawberry planting labors at 3.42 people, average size of strawberry planting area at 3.04 rai, average strawberry yield at 2,010.72 kg / rai, cost of strawberry cultivation averaged at 37,994.20 baht / rai and income from strawberry cultivation averaged at 66,836.72 baht / rai. 2) The farmers managed the strawberry cultivation according to academic requirements at the level of sometimes in overall. 3) In terms of need for sustainable strawberry cultivation, the results revealed high levels in overall, while the environment and the economic sides showed the highest levels. and 4) The factors related to growers’ need for sustainable strawberry cultivation were the labor force, group / cooperative membership, and planting management according to the academic requirements for applying the results.