Sericulture development in Thailand

Vol. 16 NO. 1 Page 92-104

http://kasetsartjournal.ku.ac.th/kuj_files/2010/A1009031028003437.pdf

อังกฤษ

E14-เศรษฐศาสตร์การพัฒนา

E16-เศรษฐศาสตร์การผลิต

L01-การผลิตสัตว์

SERICULTURE;SILK;PRODUCTION;COSTS;PROFITABILITY;MARKETS;EXTENSION ACTIVITIES;TECHNOLOGY;INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT;INNOVATION ADOPTION

ไหม;การเลี้ยง;การพัฒนา;ฝ้าย;ผ้าไหม;ต้นทุนการผลิต;ผลตอบแทน;ตลาด;การส่งเสริม;เทคโนโลยี

Study results revealed that indigenous raw silk produced by most farmers was not suitable for warp production. The cost of production of silk by traditional farmers was about 5 percent higher than that of the commercial ones; while the productivity of the commercial sericulturist was 1.4 times of the traditional one, leading to a higher profit rate. In fact, the low return of traditional sericultural farm was due to mainly to the lack of high-yielding silkworm eggs and high-yielding mulberry varieties. A poor technical know-how in sericulture cultivation was also found among traditional sericulturists and extension workers. The conversion ratio from cocoons to silk yarn and the labor costs in yarn reeling (processing) differ between the traditional and commercial farms. For the production cost of silk material, on the average, the cost per designed material was higher than of solid material. A greater expansion of silk industry had a substantial impact on sericulture development. The quick introduction of new technology necessarily caused a dual structure in Thai sericulture. A comparision of the cultural practices and the cocoon output received between the traditional and commercial sericultural farms. A very distinctive difference between these two groups of sericulture farmers was that in one crop, a commercial farm could raise silkworms of higher yield than a traditional farm while applying more chemical and used more mulberry leaves. A commercial sericulturist received more training than the traditional sericulturist and cocoon productivity was 10 times more than of the traditional one. A test of productivity difference also confirmed the superiority over traditional technology of the high yielding, high-input technology employed by commercial sericulturists. Factors influencing the adoption of such a new technology included, the level of silk knowledge of technical know-how of farmers and the farmer's training participation.

Study results revealed that indigenous raw silk produced by most farmers was not suitable for warp production. The cost of production of silk by traditional farmers was about 5 percent higher than that of the commercial ones; while the productivity of the commercial sericulturist was 1.4 times of the traditional one, leading to a higher profit rate. In fact, the low return of traditional sericultural farm was due to mainly to the lack of high-yielding silkworm eggs and high-yielding mulberry varieties. A poor technical know-how in sericulture cultivation was also found among traditional sericulturists and extension workers. The conversion ratio from cocoons to silk yarn and the labor costs in yarn reeling (processing) differ between the traditional and commercial farms. For the production cost of silk material, on the average, the cost per designed material was higher than of solid material. A greater expansion of silk industry had a substantial impact on sericulture development. The quick introduction of new technology necessarily caused a dual structure in Thai sericulture. A comparision of the cultural practices and the cocoon output received between the traditional and commercial sericultural farms. A very distinctive difference between these two groups of sericulture farmers was that in one crop, a commercial farm could raise silkworms of higher yield than a traditional farm while applying more chemical and used more mulberry leaves. A commercial sericulturist received more training than the traditional sericulturist and cocoon productivity was 10 times more than of the traditional one. A test of productivity difference also confirmed the superiority over traditional technology of the high yielding, high-input technology employed by commercial sericulturists. Factors influencing the adoption of such a new technology included, the level of silk knowledge of technical know-how of farmers and the farmer's training participation.

[1] ()

[1] Kesinee Payanun (Kasetsart University, Bangkok (Thailand). Faculty of Agriculture. Dept. of Agricultural Extension and Communication)