Value Chain Analysis of Pineapple Farmers in Klaeng, Rayong Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to analyze the value chain of pineapple farming in Klaeng District, Rayong province and (2) to analyze problems and propose guidelines for enhancing the efficiency of the pineapple value chain. In this research, a sample was selected by snowball sampling as the purposive sampling method, and in-depth interviews were applied for qualitative data collection. Five pineapple farmers from five households were selected as the research sample. The value chain analysis was used with the SWOT Analysis to propose the guidelines for enhancing the efficiency of the pineapple value chain.

            The results showed that the activities in the pineapple farming value chain started from farmers sourcing raw materials for planting and caring pineapples to the qualified pineapple delivery meeting consumer needs. However, there were problems and obstacles in four dimensions as follows: (1) marketing and sales, (2) technology development, (3) human resource management, and (4) infrastructure. Therefore, the following guidelines were proposed to increase the efficiency of the value chain. For the farmers sector, smart farming approach, high bargaining power groups, value-added products by processing, contract farming, new market searching, pineapples size sorting and distributing at the market standard, and organic farming should be created. For government sector, they should disseminate information and knowledge about pineapple cultivation to farmers, train the farmers to know about product promotion, use of technology, and innovations for value-added agricultural products.