The Comparison of Cost and Return Dried and Boiled Rock salt in Ban Chai Sub-District, Ban Dung District, Udon Thani Province

Abstract

The research aims to study and compare the cost, return and problems of production with dried rock salt and boiled rock salt of farmers at Ban Chai Sub-District, Ban Dung District, Udon Thani Province. The data were collected by questionnaires from farmers who produce dried rock salt and boiled rock salt for 30 households and 55 families, respectively. Then the data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. The research found that the farmers who produce dried rock salt and boiled rock salt are 43.87 years and 37.20 years on average. Most of them completed secondary education, the average household members are 3-4 people, with experience in salt production on average 5-6 years, the dried rock salt producers have an average production area of 6.5 rai. In addition, most of them use private funds, while the other group borrow from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives. The average amount production of dried rock salt and boiled rock salt is 1,960 tons and 272.29 tons per year, the total production cost is 288.23 Baht and 1,420.82 Baht per ton, the average selling price is 450 Baht per ton and 2,298.18 Baht per ton, net return of 161.77 Baht per ton and 877.36 Baht per ton, respectively. From the research finding, the net return of boiled rock salt production is higher than the other group, being 81.5 percent. Sales of salt of both groups sell to the wholesalers. The dried rock salt is used in the industrial sector, while the boiled rock salt is used for consumption. Finally, the main problem of the production process takes a long time and the inputs are expensive.