Strategies for Organic Rice Marketing at Luang Neua Sub-District, Doi Sa ket District, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Abstract

This study was conducted to observe consumer behavior, to analyze marketing environment, and to propose strategies of organic rice marketing at Luang Nuea Sub-District, Doi Sa Ket District, Chiang Mai Province. Data were collected from 400 organic rice consumers using consumer behavior survey. Data from interview and focus group were also collected from 39 participants who were organic farmers and their household members, entrepreneurs of organic rice, consumers in community, and representatives of municipality. Data from survey were analyzed by descriptive statistics, presented as frequency and percentage. However, data from interview and focus group were analyzed by content analysis, whereas SWOT Analysis and TOWs Matrix were used to determine marketing strategy. The results indicated that the number of consumers buying rice once a month was highest, followed by buying for eating, eating 2-6 times per month, eating for testing, buying from local market, buying because of friends’ recommendations, buying 1-5 kilograms at a time, buying 1 kilogram by measuring, buying at a price higher than 35 baht per kilogram, and willingness to pay at the average 45.56 baht per kilogram. In addition, marketing strategies included: 1) proactive strategy – increasing public relations, developing learning center, educating about value-added of organic rice, promoting organic rice marketing, and learning about processing organic rice, 2) defensive strategy – studying techniques and methods to cope with climate change, communicating about identity of rice species, extending marketing networks, and promoting organic rice processing, 3) strategic solutions – developing group management, searching resources from government organizations, increasing channels for communication, and analyzing customer needs, and 4) preventive strategy – revising model of production and marketing of organic rice, maintaining standard of production and processing of organic rice, planning for communication and public relations, and controlling fair price of organic rice products.