2002 Volume 64 Issue 5 Pages 60-67
The role and business engagement of rice harvesting contractors who utilize Thai-made combines are reported based on the results of a questionnaire survey at Nong Pla Mor village in Thailand. Thai-made combines are categorized as the throw-in type combine and hence cheaper than the imported ones. Thai-made combines made their debut from early 1990s and currently the total number of Thai-made combines reaches at about 3, 000 units. The harvesting operation provided by contract hire system was favorably evaluated by farmers, since the required cost is cheaper than the one of traditional harvesting system, and can be performed quickly. In addition, since the percentage of young people engaged on farming was fewer, the majority of farming households would seemingly be recognized that the entrustment of all farming operations to contractors is to be a primary alternative system of labor hiring in the future. Rice harvesting contractors normally engage in their job continuously for more than 7 months a year, while offering custom hire services as far as 100km apart from a base village. Such a business which covers huge area is institutionally supported by powerful and responsible village head in rural communities, so-called “middlemen or Nayna in Thai”, who acts as intermediary between farmers and contractors.
