Factors Influencing the Adoption of Good Agricultural Practices and Export Decision of Thailand’s Vegetable Farmers

Abstract

This research identified and investigated the factors influencing the adoption of good agricultural practices (GAP) and the decision making of small-scale asparagus and sweet corn farmers in Thailand to produce for export. In the study, a total of 147 vegetable farming households (66 and 81 asparagus and sweet corn growers, respectively) were randomly selected from areas with intensive vegetable cultivation. The binary logistic regression was used to analyze the information collected from this survey. The results revealed that the income variable is the most influential factor in the GAP adoption by participating vegetable farmers and that the location factor exerts the most influence over the growers’ export decision. Also, it is felt that to effectively increase the GAP adoption rate among the Thai vegetable growers, the exporters and relevant government agencies could make GAP certification compulsory.

Keywords

• good agricultural practices (gap)
• export decision
• vegetables export
• asean
• aec
• thailand