A Study on Cassava Marketing in Chang Krang Commune, Chhet Burei District, Kratie Province

抄録

Cassava, an agro-industry crop, has been cultivated for years by farmers; however, it was not popular in the past. Recently, the market demand for cassava root has radically increased; hence, the number of farmers and cultivated areas has boosted considerably. This study on Cassava Marketing was conducted to measure: 1) cassava household production, 2) cassava marketing, and 3) the important of cassava production in farmer household. 81 producers, 5 traders and 4 key informants in Chang Krang commune, ChhetBurei district, Kratie province were selected. Multiple tools in Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) method were employed. The result of the study shows that the majority (95%) of Chang Krang commune farmers depend on Cassava production. The cultivating method is operated in a traditional way and depends on rain fed-crop. The majority of households own more than one ha of cassava field. Mostly, cassava is converted into dry chip and sold between January and March; the average price was 850 riels/kg. Approximately ninety five percent of the yield is exported to Vietnam. The cassava marketing pattern in the selected area was appropriate as not only are they rich in middlemen, but also the location is close to the Vietnamese border. The cassava price is defined by Vietnamese buyers and the information regarding to market price was limited. Most farmers could get benefit both from cassava root and trunk. Cassava production contributed 87.68% to rural livelihood. The advantages of planting cassava included not only generating family income but also employing rural workers and reducing local and cross border migration. In conclusion, cassava production is very important for farmers in Chang Krang commune and the marketing situation is the main factor that effects production chain.