Cost - Benefit Analysis of Safe Vegetable Production among Farmer Groups in Lomsak District, Phetchabun Province

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze costs and returns of safe vegetable production among farmer groups in Lomsak District, Phetchabun Province. Data were collected through interviews with 46 GAP-certified safety vegetable farmers from large-scale farming plots in Pak Chong, Pak Duk, Ban Wai, and Ban Klang Subdistricts of Lomsak District, Phetchabun Province. The findings revealed that for a cultivation area of one rai (0.16 hectare), the total annual production costs were 90,648 baht for parsley, 75,882 baht for bok choy, 58,059 baht for cauliflower, and 44,932 baht for Chinese cabbage. The majority of costs were attributed to cultivation, maintenance, and harvesting activities. Return analysis indicated that Chinese cabbage yielded the highest profit at 164,408 baht with a net profit margin of 78.54% and a benefit-cost ratio of 3.66. Bok choy generated a profit of 146,491 baht with a net profit margin of 65.88% and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.94. Cauliflower produced a profit of 134,451 baht with a net profit margin of 69.84% and a benefit-cost ratio of 2.32, demonstrating that these three vegetables provided worthwhile investment returns. However, parsley showed lower profitability with 62,856 baht profit, a net profit margin of 40.95%, and a benefit-cost ratio of 0.60, indicating an unfavorable return on investment. These findings suggest that safety vegetable farmers should establish cost management guidelines and implement cost reduction strategies to enhance their returns.