FACTORS RELATED TO OIL PALM PLANTING OF FARMERS IN BANG SAWAN SUBDISTRICT, PHRASAENG DISTRICT, SURAT THANI PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to study personal factor, economic factor, social factor, knowledge on oil palm planting and oil palm planting of farmers, 2) to study relationship between personal factor, economic factor, social factor, knowledge on oil palm planting and oil palm planting of farmers, 3) to study the problems and suggestions on oil palm planting. The samples consisted of 220 oil palm farmers in Bang Sawan Subdistrict, Phrasaeng District, Surat Thani Province, computed by Taro Yamane’s formula. Data were collected by using interviewing schedule. Statistical analyses were frequency, percentage, mean, standard
deviation, minimum, maximum, and Chi-square test. The result of the research revealed that most of the sampled farmers were male 72.3 percent. The average of age was 49.39 years old. The level of
education was elementary. The average member of farm household was 4.09 persons. The average experience of oil palm planting was 15.38 years. The average agricultural area was 43.10 rais. The average area for oil palm planting was 31.00 rais. The average labor in oil palm planting was 4.21 persons. The average expenditure of oil palm planting was 100,858.50 Baht per year. The average income from oil palm planting was 338,366.36 Baht per year. Most of the farmers were not members of any group. The farmers had the knowledge on oil palm planting at the high level. Most of the farmers planted Tenera oil palm. Oil palm plantations were wetlands. The orientation of oil palm was an equilateral triangle. The average oil palm product was 2,554.86 kg./rai. The farmers sold their oil palm products to extraction plant.
From hypothesis testing, it was indicated that age had significant relationship with the insect pests of oil palm at 0.05 level of significance. Experience of oil palm planting, area for oil palm planting, labor in oil palm planting, expenditure of oil palm planting and income from oil palm planting had significant relationship with the oil palm product at 0.01 level of significance. The group membership of oil palm had significant relationship with the source of oil palm varieties at 0.01 level of significance. And the group membership of oil palm had significant relationship with source of oil palm selling at 0.05 level of significance. The main problems of oil palm planting of the farmers were the expensive planting cost, the outbreak of rhinoceros beetle, and the fluctuations of oil palm price.