Results

/DWHPDUNHWHQYLURQPHQWDQGIDUPHUV¶marketing behaviors

Some HQ mangosteen were exported to the overseas market, while an amount of LQ were distributed to the domestic market. Approximately 80 ± 90% of total mangosteen in Chanthaburi province were harvested during the late mangosteen harvesting season. An increasing mangosteen supply decreased the price becoming lower than that of the early harvesting season. At that time, mangosteen was mainly distributed to domestic markets (Figure 7-2). The GAP-based mangosteen were mixed with non-GAP mangosteen in markets. Mangosteen was priced based on its appearance just like during the early harvest session. However, grading criteria was concentrated into skin and weight conditions (7 - 25 THB for LQ and 35 ± 60 for HQ/kg). Figure 7-2 showed the dynamics of mangosteen market channel during the late harvesting period.

Figure 7-2 : Late of Chanthaburi harvesting season (May - July) marketing channel

Source: Adopted from interviewing from the head officers of Chanthaburi provincial department of agriculture Note: during this period there were 80 ± 90% of mangosteen production in Chanthaburi province

Buyers did not require GAP certificates anymore in the late harvest seasons. The GAP-certified farmers who had registered in the early of harvesting season were carefully checked product by collectors at a buying station, in order to select the HQ mangosteen.

During this period, mangosteen market was peak dealing a large volume. A lot of workload brought both farmers and buyers to work on site for more than 12 hours every day.

109

Therefore, trading method was simplified and classified into 2 types. The first LV ³SHU

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LQ and HQ products. This process could reduce transaction costs of buyers. Of course, farmers can VHOHFW ³JUDGLQJ PHWKRGV´ IRU marketing in peak seasons. This methods took more time rather than the first methods. Net price was depended on the quality of product.

7KHIDUPHUV¶GHFLVLRQWRVHOOWKHLUSURGXFWGXULQJWhis period are shown on Table 7-6.

Table 7-6 : 7KHPDLQUHDVRQRIWKHIDUPHUVWRVHOHFWWKHLUSURGXFWV¶EX\HUVLQWKHODWH

season (n = 112)

Market access (place component) was a main factor to choose marketing channels during the late of mangosteen harvesting season. The farmers checked the price fluctuation every day. There was not much difference as regards bX\HUV¶ RIIHUHG SULFHV 7KH H[SRUWers and cooperatives offered a curtained price, while big buyers such as retailers offered a fix price.

Due to the limited time for mangosteen harvesting and low labor intensive, the farmers did not pay much attention to control quality of product. They harvested mangosteen as much as possible. GAP-certified farmers who looked for the market price in an early season needed to harvest together with seasonal workers. Mobile merchants marketed by VXSSRUWLQJWKHIDUPHUVWRUHGXFHWKHIDUPHUV¶IDUPUHVSRQVLELOLW\7KH\ZHQWWRWKHIDUPHUV¶

orchards and evaluated the price with little difference from the average market price.

Late market buyers¶ attitudes towards GAP-EDVHGSURGXFWV¶PDUNHWLQJFRPSRQHQWV

There were two kinds of buyers during the late harvesting season. The first type was a retailer or its agent. The other type was exporter. GAP standard was focused to increase the IDUPHUV¶ SRWHQWLDO to access overseas market. Therefore, domestic buyers who fixed the

110

mangosteen price with less considering any standard were excluded from this analysis. The second type of buyers marketed attitude towards GAP products are shown on Table 7-7.

Table 7-7 : Buyers attitudes towards QGAP-based products (n = 12)

Place and price were given a priority in trading. $OWKRXJK IDUPHUV¶ EHKDYLRUV RQ VHOOLQJ

changed, buyers focused to collect HQ product from GAP-certified farmers. Buyers EHOLHYHGWKDWWKHUHZDVQRGLIIHUHQWEHWZHHQ*$3DQGRUGLQDU\IDUPHUV¶SURGXFWGXULQJWKH

late market. However, GAP-certified farmers could sell their product at a higher price than the ordinary farmers. The easiness on HQ products assessment was the first advantages of GAP-certified farmers in markets. This was because of the high demand for HQ mangosteen for overseas market still demanded during this time.Consequently, the GAP-certified farmers could supply HQ product with the high proportion compare to the ordinary farmers.

GAP certificate was not paid much attention during peak seasons. The buyers had already UHJLVWHU WKH IDUPHUV¶ FHrtificate (copy and keep recording) during an early stage of harvesting, while mangosteen demand during the late market had adjusted into equilibrium

111

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the GAP-certified farmers during the early stage. Therefore, GAP certificate was not requested from the farmers at this time.

GAP-certified farmers had the most significant effects towards the mobile merchants trading (Table 7-8). An average mangosteen price was low and farm grading workers were increasingly demanded for harvesting work. The farmers preferred to sell their product with PRELOHPHUFKDQWVWRUHGXFHWKHIDUPHUV¶IDUPUHVSRQVLELOLW\The merchants usually buy the product from the farmers with the per kilogram price evaluation method. It showed that mobile merchants would much prefer to purchase the products from GAP-certified farmers, in order to get benefit from HQ product through graded by them.

Table 7-8 : Buyers attitudes towards GAP-EDVHGSURGXFWV¶PDUNHWLQJFRPSRQHQWVGXULQJ

the late market

Exporter reduced attentions on the GAP-based product and certificates rather than in the early market. Their product, price and promotion marketing components attitudes for GAP product were in a low level which different from the early market. During the late market, the mangosteen had already flooded in the market. This PHDQV WKH H[SRUWHUV¶ *$3

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concentration.

112 7.6 Discussion