Thesis Abstract of AGS Students

Optimum technology for soybean production in irrigated area of the Chiang Mai valley

Benjakun Malakedsuwan (1990)

This study has two main objectives, to study factors affecting farmers' choices of technology and estimate production functions in order to find out the optimum levels of inputs use for soybean production of farmers in irrigated area of the Chiang Mai Valley. The results of this study will be applied as a guideline for extension of soybean production in this area. The study has chosen the area of Tambon Sam Pong, Amphur Mae Rim, Chiang Mai province to be case study.

Farmers were devided into 4 groups according to the major production technology based on important inputs criteria. Group 1 used chemical fertilizer, foliar fertilizer and herbicides. Group 2 used foliar fertilizer and herbicides. Group 3 used herbicides only and group 4 used foliar fertilizer only. In addition, farmers who did not apply those 3 inputs will be assigned to be group 5. The last group was used to compare with the results later on.

The socio-economic factors affecting various technology of farmers are mainly family income and production credit. It was found that when family income or production credit increases, farmers will use the higher level of technology. The effect was use of various inputs causing higher expenses. Moreover, farmers also chose technology on the belief of existing soil fertility.

The results from estimation of production functions showed that important inputs of each technology have significantly influenced yield. The R2 of production function was high as about .80. The production functions were highly reliable according to the econometric test. This can be applied to analyse the optimum level of input use under various production conditions of farmers which were combinations of undrained soil, water deficiency soil and management. Sensitivity analysis was done under the conditions of averaging price of soybean and prices of inputs, meanwhile prices of inputs were assumed to increase by 20 percent and price of soybean decreased by 20 percent.

The result of the study showed that if price of soybean production and price of inputs are fixed at the average level, farmers who used 3 inputs and used herbicides in quantity as instruction level should apply 44 kilograms of chemical fertilizer per rai and spray foliar fertilizer 214 cc per rai to maximize their profits. Farmer who used 2 inputs and used herbicide in quantity as instruction level must spray foliar fertilizer 1,026 cc per rai to maximize profits. Farmer who used herbicide up to 315 cc per rai and farmers who sprayed foliar fertilizer only could use foliar fertilizer up to 2,811 cc per rai to maximize profits. It was also explained that if price of soybean decreases and prices of inputs increase, the optimum level of input use will decrease for every level of technology.

The recommendations of optimum technology mainly depend on soil fertility conditions and capability of seeking for additional funding.

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