The modification of dry season cropping pattern with the maximum net income possibility in Lam Pao operation and maintenance project, Kalasin province

Abstract

This research aims to find the solution for the dry season irrigation problem in Lam Pao operation and maintenance project, Kalasin province. The modification of dry season cropping pattern was a process when the irrigation water was shortage. The long-term data records from 1987 to 2020, a total of 33 years, the maximum cultivated area was in 2020. The total area of 300,353 rai were 295,304 rai of dry season rice, 97 rai of field crops, 100 rai of vegetables, 1,496 rai of fish ponds and 3,356 rai of shrimp ponds. The minimum cultivated area was in 1994. The total area of of 3,419 rai were 209 rai of dry season rice, 2,552 rai of field crops, 488 rai of vegetables. 35 rai of fishponds and 135 rai of shrimp ponds. The dry season area in 2020, 10 crop varieties, were glutinous rice, rice, sweet corn, watermelon seeds, seed, cantaloupe seeds, tomato seeds, asparagus, fishpond and shrimp pond. The crop with maximum net income was cantaloupe seeds, 446,000 baht/rai of net profit. The other crops with lower net income in descending order were tomato seeds 363,600 baht/rai, zucchini seeds 76,450 baht/rai, shrimp pond 49,000 baht/rai, watermelon seeds 18,500 baht/rai, asparagus 16,000 baht/rai, fishpond 12,000 baht/rai, glutinous rice 4,904 baht/rai, rice 1,514 baht/rai and sweet corn 1,200 baht/rai. However, the modification of dry season cropping pattern concerned not only the maximum net income but also the farming skill, market demand and farmer lifestyle.