SURVEY OF MAIZE FARMERS' PRODUCTION PRACTICES IN PHOP PHRA DISTRICT, TAK PROVINCE Mr. Bounam Sayavong Agriculture and Forestry Service, Agriculture Extension Office of Kasi District, Vientiane, LAO P. D. R. INFORMATION ABOUT THE DISTRICT Phop phra is one of 8 districts of Tak Province. The district is situated in a hilly area near the border to Myanmar. About 50% of district's hilly land area left to forest growth and patches of fruit crops orchard. On lands with 20-25% slope, the district extension officers discourage crop cultivation because it would aggravate the soil erosion phoblem that is already a major concem in the district. Phop phra is composed of 5 tamboons, with 46 village communities. Statistice about the district in 1997 shows the population to be 28,931 persons making-up 7,634 households. Crops grown in the district are; maize (33,600 ha), vegetables (3,129), rice (2,288 ha), fruit crops (1,030 ha) and cutflowers or roses (404 ha). Maize yield in the district ranged from 3,750 to 5,000 kg per ha. Area Cultivated to maize this year has increased by at least 5.0% compared to the previous crop year of 1997. Due the favorable rainfall conditions (1,110 to 2,068 mm per year), the maize farmers in the district plant two crops of maize, the lst crop is planted in May-June and the second crop in September-October. Unlike the maize growing region of the planis of Thailand, farmers in the district plant by hand at the spacing of 75 cm x 50 cm placing 2-3 seeds of maize to a hill. At this seeding rate the plant density is about 53,300 to 70,000 plant per ha (when no thinning is done). Most farmers do thinning Swhen maize in initally seeded at three seeds per hill. Use of machinery is only possible in a few areas in the district so most of the farmers plant maize using hoe to dig a hole and drop the seed. Proximity to the border also affords the farmers cheap labor to do most of the farm operation that are needed. Control of weeds in a major concerns since conventional land preparation to eliminate weeds is not always possible. To manage the weeds, farmers spray paraquat as post emergence control strategy. A typical fertilizer application to maize is a one time dose of ammophos at the rate of 156 kg per ha when crop is crop is about 25 to 30 days old. Harvesting is done using hired labor. SURVEY PROCEDURES This survey was done to familiarize the training participants with survey techniques, analysis and interpretation of results. A questionnaire was designed and pre-tested for this specific study. There 217 items included in the questionnaire and translated in Thai language for ease in conducting and gathering of responses. The data and observations obtained were later transcribed and summarized in English. The survey was conducted in full cooperation of the Department of Agricultural Extension officers at the province and district offices. The selection of village to be surveyed and the choice of farmers were made by the DOAE officers. AMTC trainees were given briefing by DOAE officers about agriculture in the district and the province. After the briefing, the teams ( 5 groups including an interpreter) were dispatched to the farmer’s residence of the interview. When the interview was completed, the team asked the farmer to guide them to his maize fields to gather field assessment data, check the conditions of the maize crop and clarify with the farmer any possible problems and concerns noted during the field visit. All data collected from the survey were summarized and analyzed under the direction of the invited lecturer in Economics. A brief report was written to fulfill this requirement of the training course. SURVEY RESULTS The farmers interviewed for this survey probably did not represent the district of Phop phra because the farmers were the better farmers of the district. The survey found the average farm size of the sample farmers was 66.40 ha. His household has 4.0 members and 60% of them working in the farm. The farmers assets data indicate the sample farms were adequately capitalized (THB 675,500) with most of the investment going into the purchase of farm machinery (89%) and equipment (7.73%) The total cropped area was found higher than the average farm area suggesting that some of the farmers surveyed used the land intensively (cropping intensity is 125%). Although most farmers planted hybrid maize the actual percentage of the farm planted to hybrid maize is only 71.97%, the farm is planted to other crops. On the average, the farmers interviewed rented 13.60 ha of additional at the prevailing rate of THB 2,625 per ha. Relative to current land value of THB 252,000 per ha, the rate of land is cheap. There is a high degree mechanization (60% of the respondents) among the sample farmers. To do most of the farm operations in maize. They usually use their own equipment (60% of the respondents). Those without equipment (40%) hire from within the village to secure the service. Hiring rate of THB 750.00 per ha is quite common. The present average maize farm size has increased by a factor 130.9% compared to the area in 1993. Most commonly use hybrid maize seeds are DK 888, Pioneer 3012 and Cargill 919. As claimed by the respondents their highest maize yield during a very good year is about 6,081 kg per ha while during the drought year the lowest yield averaged 3,906 kg per ha. Last year’s crop, maize yield average was 5,223 kg per ha and the grain was at an average price of THB 3.98 per kg. Gross return from maize averaged THB 20,787 per ha and when the total input cost of THB 8,713 is deducted, a net return of THB 12,074 is obtained. This gives a ratio of input in the order of 2.38 which very good. Increasing grain yield in maize is therefore the only way increase the income of the maize farmers. On a per farm basis, the average gross return of the farmers interviewed is high, THB 252,000. When asked about the most common problems they thought as important, 50% of them mentioned high input cost and 40% considered the price of maize grain is low. The other problems rated by 20% of the respondents as also important are; inadequate financing, inputs not available, labor not available, farm machinery problems, high rent of land drought in early season. Table 1. Summary of survey data taken respondents in Phop Phra District, 1998. Characteristics of sample farms Farm size (ha) 14.2 Years of farming 17 % working in the 60 farm Age of farmer 47 Family size 4 Hired labor (man- 17.20 days) Patterns of maintaining assets Total farm assets 675,500 % as equipment 7.73 % as other assets 0 % as farm 7.47 % as farm 87.31 building machinery Cropping intensity and pattern Area of farm (ha) 14.2 % planted to OPV 0 % share of other 29.94 crops Total cropped area 17.7 % planted to 71.97 (ha) hybrids Input use pattern in hybrid maize production (baht per ha) Total input cost 8,173 Machinery 2,150 Fertilizer cost 2,171 charges Labor charges 2,099 Seed cost 1,928 Other chemical 365 cost Estimated cost and return on maize (per ha) Grain yield (kg) 5,223 Input cost (baht) 8,713 Input-output ratio 2.38 Returns on maize 20,787 Returns on input 12,074 (baht) (baht) Land tenure and use trends the maize crop (ha) Use own land 52.8 Current land rent 2,625 Cropped area in 8.11 (baht) 1993 Use rented land 13.6 1998 cropped area 10.62 % change over 5 130 years Current land value 252,00 Cropped area in 9.60 (baht) 0 1995 Crop management practices in use and level of farm mechanization (% of respondents) Operations done 40 Hiring others' 40 No protection on 100 manually equipment maize crop Operations done with 60 Spraying against 0 machines insects Using own equipment 60 Controlling maize 0 diseases Variation in maize farm yield and selling practices Highest yield 6,081 Farmgate price 3.98 % selling at harvest 70 (kg/ha) (baht/kg) time Lowest yield (kg/ha) 4,993 Volume sold 74.1 % selling within 30 30 (tons/farm) days Using own 3,906 Gross value 295,207 % selling at later 0 equipment (baht) dates Problems and constraints to maize production encountered (% of respondents) Inadequate farm 20 Labor not available 20 Drought in early 20 financing season crop Input not available 20 Farm machinery 20 Flooding in main 0 problems crop High cost of inputs 50 High transport cost 0 Others 0 Low maize grain 40 High land rent 20 price .