IMPACTS OF RICE PLEDGING POLICY ON RICE MARKETING IN THAILAND

Abstract

Rice is the primary staple food for more than half the world population. Rice is also the most important staple crop in Thailand because around 65 percent of total agricultural household are in this sector. The rice pledging policy that aims to increase farmer income have impacts to rice marketing. Therefore, this study focused on an analyzing and identifying the impact of rice pledging policy on rice industry and its constraint and recommendation. The aim of study is to identify a number of recommendations on increasing income and living standard of stakeholders that would support sustainable developments. The respondent of the study are the rice local trader and government officer in Chedi Hak Sub-district Mueng District Ratchaburi Province Western Thailand. The sample selected using purporsive sampling technique. Descriptive method was used in this study to describe the facts and phenomenons in term rice pledging policy. The findings on social aspects revealed that the constraints of rice pledging policy is many middlemans (local trader) lost their job and weak farmers’ organization (have no power). Regarding the economy aspect, the constraints are the fluctuation paddy rice and decreasing rice quality. The study generated recommencations for rice marketing policy measures that focused on: 1) an evaluation of the program and its effects is necessary, and the government should revise the policy, especially the level of pleged price, 2) to promote the standard and rice grading continuously to improve rice quality, 3) to provide the training as education center to increase knowledge and skill of farmer and another stakeholder in term rice marketing technology.