Silk Production and Marketing Situation in the Northeast, Thailand.

Abstract

This study aims to acquire knowledge on production situation and technology employed, the potentials and constraints in production and marketing of sericulture so as to lay the foundation of research and development of sericulture in the Northeast. Data were collected from related information documents; producer and middlemen by face to face interview with structured and nonstructured questionnaires in selected amphoes of 6 northeast provinces. The cost of production and the marketing were analyzed by average and descriptive method, respectively. Most of sericuturist in the studied area were small producers who conduct sericulture as additional occupation, with 392,226 families, having the mulberry growing area and the product of silk yarn with 416,612 rais and 1,399,552 kgs, respectively. According to the marketing procedure, sericulturist could be divided into 2 groups of hand and machine reeling. Hand reeling method had cost silkworm rearing 1,229.59 baht/sheet, average production 14 kgs/sheet, and cost of cocoon 87.83 baht/kg. The ratio of converting silk yarn weight to cocoon was 1:10, average reeling production 200 gms/day, labor cost 250 baht/day, cost of cocoon 873.30 baht/kg silk yarn. From the data obtained, the cost of silk yarn was 1,128.30 baht/kg, while the selling price of silk grade 3 was 935 baht/kg, therefore this Seri culturist group would have a loss of 193.30 baht/kg silk yarn Machine reeling method had cost of silkworm rearing 3,072.96 baht/box, average production 31.61 kg/box, and cost of cocoon 91.28 baht/kg. The ratio of converting silk yarn weight to cocoon was 1:7 labor cost 300 baht/day, cost of cocoon 638.96/kg silk yarn. The silk yarn cost from machine reeling higher however was 938.96 bant/kg, while the selling price of silk grade 1 was 900-1,000 baht/kg, having profit of 38.96-61.04 baht/kg silk yarn. In order to support the sericulturist to increase the income polyvoltime type. The adaptation on integrating of new technology of sericulturist, number of labor, and source of investment fund should be considered to ensure the development of efficient extension. For further sericulture research, it is necessary to conduct research relating to technology for sericulture production appropriate in the target area, the quality improvement should also be strongly emphasized.