Cost of para-rubber production and selling problems of para-rubber farmers in Thailand

Abstract

Para-rubber has been an important economic crop in Thailand for a long time. This research estimated the cost of para-rubber production and described the selling problems of para-rubber farmers in Thailand. In 2014, primary data were collected using structured interviews from a total sample of 2,971 para-rubber farmers who were supervised by the Office of the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund in Thailand. These respondents were selected using the multi-stage random sampling technique. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. The results revealed that Thai para-rubber farmers had an average cost of para-rubber production of 59.33 baht per kilogram. Costs of production for rubber latex, unsmoked sheet rubber and cup lump rubber were 59.80, 63.02, and 55.17 baht per kilogram, respectively. The costs of para-rubber production in plain, rolling, and high areas were 61.15, 56.57, and 60.27 baht per kilogram, respectively. Problems with selling Thai para-rubber at the farm level were at the moderate level. The quality of labor on Thai para-rubber farms should be improved through knowledge learning.