Mr. NGUYEN Van Thu

Mae Ramat is one of the 8 districts of Tak province. Agricultural land use in Mae Ramat is allocated into growing field crops (11,012 ha), fruit crops (527 ha), vegetable crops (110 ha) and other crops (147 ha). Maize is one of the main cash crop of Mae Ramat, averaging in yield of 3,500 kg per ha. Hybrid maize is mostly used over area and the estimated annual demand for hybrid seed is 150 tons. In recent years, Mae Ramat district has been used as one of the location for hybrid maize seed production. According to the District Extension Office, the total area for maize seed production in 1997 was 3,431 ha averaging in yield of 2,375 kg of ears per ha during the wet season and 2,187 kg ears per ha during the dry season. Thus, the total output during last year’s seed crop was approximately 12,455 tons.

Considering the importance of hybrid seed and its production in the maize grain industry, this survey was conducted to gather updated information on seed production practices, diagnosis production constrains and identify problems of the hybrid maize seed growers in the district of Mae Ramat. The survey was included in the training program of the 4^th Regional Maize Agronomy and Production course held in Suwan Farm, Pakchong, Nakhonratchasima, Thailand. Another objective of the survey is to introduce and familiarize the participants to the use of survey tools and analysis of data in order to understand the seed producers’ production circumstances.

With the guidance of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DOAE) of Tak province and the officers at the district level, the village of Kanejue was selected. During the past two years, the village is the seed production site of three seed companies, namely; Chareon Phokepand (1,120 ha), Pacific Seed Ltd, (640 ha) and Cargill Seeds (240 ha). The survey team of 18 participants were divided into five groups. Each group interviewed one maize seed grower by going through a questionnaire that was earlier designed and pre-tested. The production contained 217 items focusing on the characteristics of the farm, inventory of assets, cropping intensity, input use pattern, land tenure, crop management practices, level of mechanization, yield performance statistics, cost and returns, and problems or constraints related to maize production.

Interviews were conducted in the farmer’s place of residence. All questions were asked through a Thai interpreter. Recording of data was initially in Thai but later these were transcribed into English towards the end of the day. When the interview was done and all the items in the questionnaire were properly filled-up, the survey team requested the respondent to guide the team to his maize fields for the conduct of the field assessment part of the survey. All relevant observations made in the field were recorded and issues that needed clarification were discussed with seed grower to gain better understanding. All data taken from the survey were summarized and analysed under the guidance of the invited expert lecturer in Economics.

The survey results summarized in Table 1 show that in Kanejue village the average farm size used for hybrid seed production in maize is only 2.86 ha. The seed company apparently favour allocating more area to the better and more reliable seed growers although the biggest area among the seed growers interviewed was only 6.8 ha of seed crop. The average age of farmer is 43.8 years and they had a long experience in farming (25.4 years). The household size made up of 4.2 persons. About 47.6% of the household members work in the farm. All of the seed growers were quite equipped for working in maize seed production. Since there is fewer members of the household to work in the farm, the seed grower hired labour at an average of 73.6 man-days per crop. Compared to the production of commercial grain, hybrid maize seed production required more labour and care especially during detasseling and rouging operations.

The seed growers’ field surveyed use an average density of 67,000 plants per ha in the female rows and about 88,300 plants per ha in the male rows. Although both parents were planted at the same time, the male rows appeared weak and yellowing compared to the female rows which rows which are more vigorous. The seed fields are planted at a ratio of 1 male to 2 rows of females. In most of the fields surveyed, weed control was good and the maize plants did not experience any weed competition.

Planting of the female rows were more closer to the male rows near it. In small seed growers’ farm, planting was done by hand but sometimes seeds were not properly covered or may have undergone short periods of moisture stress so there was some problems with crop stand. Fertilizer application rates based on last year’s seed crop was on the average only 70-30-0 kg of N-P-K per ha. This consists of a basal dose of ammophos (16:20:0) and top dress of urea, (46:0:0). In general, the seed growers did not see any need to spray with chemicals. Some of the seed growers interviewed noted infestation of cutworms but these were minimal.

The seed production field can give as much as 1,875 kg ears per ha when the growing conditions are very good. In last year’s seed crop the seed growers lost substantially and harvest was low (903 kg ear per ha). The seed ears were sold at THB 7.00 per kg of ear. Therefore, an average gross return of THB 6,231 was obtained and after deducting the total cost of input THB 4,280 per ha) a net return of THB 2,041 per ha is realized. The gross income from hybrid maize seed production on per farm basis was only averaging THB 14,420. At this level, the seed growers will not be able to make of anything and may not continue to grow hybrid seed for the seed company.

Table 1. Summary of survey data taken from seed growers in Mae Ramat, 1998.