Preparing agricultural product marketing for the new AEC market: A case study for improving the marketing organization for farmers in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand

Abstract

The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) will be established in 2015 providing challenges both advantageous and otherwise to the agricultural economy of Thailand. The Marketing Organization for Farmers (MOF) intends to develop an integrative business model based on contract farming of native rice turned into a unique product. This study explored the unique agricultural product especially native rice Kiaw Ngu native glutinous rice variety (GS No. 8974) and the marketing channel of such product to prepare for the AEC market. The data of this study were collected from state organization’s experts and specialists who were selected for in-depth interviews and focus group discussion in Chiang Rai Province. Moreover, the MOF chose a contract farming system to promote this rice in its supply chain. The MOF expected to create a new market for this rice in the integrated market of AEC that will be expanded domestically and overseas especially in the neighboring countries such as Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Malaysia. Key words: Agricultural economics, Kiaw Ngu native glutinous rice, marketing channel, contract farming, Chiang Rai Province.