Office of Agricultural Economics suggests farmers grow GMP garlic,
Preserve Thai garlic varieties.
23-7-2019–Mrs. Anchana, Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of Agricultural Economics, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives revealed the results of the study “The demand between Thai garlic and Chinese garlic In the areas of Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Lamphun, “by the Office of Agricultural Economics, The 1st Agricultural Economic Office of Chiang Mai Province conducted a study on the garlic demand of entrepreneurs. By comparing between Thai garlic and Chinese garlic, including the study of appropriate garlic management guidelines in order to have yield and quality consistent with the demand
Such studies interviewed three (3) entrepreneurs in 16 provinces, found that most of the entrepreneurs in the northern region or 94% will buy Thai garlic and while 6% of entrepreneurs buy Chinese garlic, 55% purchasing Thai dried garlic to separate garlic cloves and forwarded to the major collectors in the Central Region Distribution Center of Talat Thai Department Store, Si-Mum-Mueang Market (Four corner market) for sale to consumers and food processing factories for further processing and 45 % buy into fresh garlic for resale and some parts are made to breed, including the delivery of pickled garlic industry, while Chinese garlic, entrepreneurs in the north will buy and sell all dried garlic by passing to Chinese dealer representative who will send garlic from the central region.
However from inquiry to opinion of Northern entrepreneurs, it was found that consumers and industrial entrepreneurs tend to buy Chinese garlic more because Chinese garlic is imported in a cut form or a single head, easy to peel, while Thai garlic will be sold in Non-trimmed stopper style, users have to hire workers to cut and curl petals, resulting in higher business costs and causing waste in the establishment.
Mr. Thawatchai, Director of The 1st Agricultural Economic Office of Chiang Mai Province, added that from organizing workshops to meet the needs between Thai garlic and Chinese garlic in the areas of Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Lamphun, together with about 40 people involved, consisting of provincial agricultural agents and related government agencies in Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Lamphun, dealers and community enterprises who collect garlic in the area Restaurant / Restaurant Representative and a professor of garlic experts from the Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University on 26 June at the Win Place Hotel, Chiangmai Province joined to find suitable garlic management guidelines to develop garlic production in line with the needs of Thai entrepreneurs have suggested the management in various areas as follows;
In the output quality, farmers should improve the quality of the products to solve the problem of lobe atrophy and can be kept for a long time. By using chemical fertilizers in the right amount and harvested in the correct time to ensure the quality of garlic in the next phase, should adjust to produce garlic GAP and develop into organic garlic, because there is a definite market and a high price and restaurant operators those welcome to increase the amount of Thai garlic purchase.
If the garlic production is of good quality, the demand should be explored for each type of garlic producer. While exploring the cultivated areas that are suitable for growing garlic in each category and there may be an agreement between the entrepreneur and the farmer to be fair to both parties and publicize the advantages of Thai garlic in conjunction with tourism, especially hotels and restaurants and the import of the government must control the import of garlic and strict export of Thai garlic varieties to preserve Thai garlic in a unique way.
At present, Thai garlic is a major source of cultivation in the northern region. In 2018, there are 61,183 rai of garlic plantation in three provinces (Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Lamphun), accounting to 71 percent of the whole garlic plantation area, yield 71,547 tons (79 percent of The yield of the whole country), which the output enter to the market during January – March.
Garlic is not only an important food plant and has medicinal benefits, it also a local economic plant that generates income for farmers all the time. Therefore, government should encourage farmers to develop themselves as entrepreneurs, in addition to the role of growers. In order to plan production in accordance with market demand, to be able to create value added to the product by selling a trimming type instead of whole selling all the garden And raising awareness for farmers, including understand the needs of users and consumer behavior, etc.
