Factors Affecting Needs for Fruit Production Extension under the Organic System of Farmers in NongKaew Royal Project Development Center, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

The organic system is an important in agricultural production. This study was conducted to investigate: 1) socioeconomic attributes of farmers 2) need of fruit production extension under the organic system of the farmers; 3) factors affecting need for fruit production extension under the organic system and 4) encountered problems and suggestions about fruit production extension and fruit market of the farmers in Nong Kaew Royal Development Project Center, Chiang Mai Province. This study in January 2016 – December 2016. The sample group in this study consisted of 130 farmers. A set of questionnaires was used for data collection and analyzed by using descriptive statistics and multiple regression The results of the study revealed that the most of the respondents were male and 48 years old on average. The household 5 members on average, they had 2 members of schooling age and 3 household workforces on average. Household income 3,277 baht per month on average. Household land holding 9.31 rais on average. The most of them perceived news in agricultural or information through various media more than 20 times per month. They contacted agricultural extension worker once a month and participated in village tradition activities 3 times a month on average The most of the respondents has never participated in agricultural activities. They had training experience in agricultural once a year on average. The respondents had been growing fruit trees for 8 years on average. It was found they had a high level of knowledge and understanding about organic fruit tree growing. The respondents had a moderate level of needs for fruit tree production extension under the organic system Factors effecting needs for fruit production extension under the organic system of the respondents included information perception though various media and agricultural extension worker contact with a statistical significances level at 0.01. The encountered problems of production and fruit market were the respondents have lacked of new knowledge and techniques about production and processing under the organic system, low yield quality, yield price fluctuation, cannot sale yields because lack of standards . The following were suggestions of the respondents: 1) the royal project or government should
support on fruit tree growing under the organic system, 2) it should have a project in an area where farmers have interested, 3) it should have the provision of new fruit tree varieties for growing, 4) it should have the assurance of yield price in advance; and 5) it should have a market for the yields lack of standards.