การบริหารจัดการความเสี่ยงในการผลิตมันฝรั่ง ในพื้นที่อำเภอสันทราย จังหวัดเชียงใหม่ (Risk Management of Potato Production in San Sai District, Chiang Mai Province)

Abstract

      The objectives of the research were to: 1) study the concept of risk management of potato farming 2) study the capability in risk management of potato farming and 3) develop the risk management plan of potato farming by potential farmers. The population was 1,681 farmers in Chiang Mai. Then 15 farmers in Sansai district were selected. Research instruments were unstructured interviews and focus group interview. The results were as follows: the risk management, the farmers think that weather
is the most important risk factor which cannot be predicted or controlled. Even though problems of diseases and insects are unpredictable, they can still be managed. However, potato farming is more profitable than other vegetables. For the capability in risk management, the analysis of internal and external factors (SWOT Analysis) was used. For internal factors, the strength is their expertise in plantation of qualified products. The weakness is a quality product requirement leading to limited freedom in doing farming. The farmers must compete with other farmers and cannot set their own product price. For external factors, opportunity factors are potential markets with guaranteed demand and potato product in Thailand is lower than demands so it price is fair. Threat factors can come from bad weather which results in low productivity per rai and low quality. This cannot be predicted and planned for the solutions in advance. Furthermore, bad weather can also bring problems of diseases and insects. For the risk management plan, potato is a low temperature plant. The best time to grow potatoes is from November to December. To reduce the risk of growing potatoes out of season, farmers would plant seasonal crops such as soybeans, peanuts, rice, corn, and vegetables.