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yield ranges. When family labor costs were included, gross margin (2) per
hectare was reduced to THB569. Gross margin per hectare could be THB3,750-
5,100 if the yield was 375-500 kg/ha. This would be THB2,638-3,981 per hectare
if family labor was deducted. This level of gross margin is lower than the
estimated level of THB5,625/ha.
Additional details were collected on planted area, output per hectare,
costs, and gross margin for mungbean before rice and were classified by farm
size. Farms were categorized as small (0-1.6 ha), medium (1.7-3.2 ha), and large
(greater than 3.2 ha). These categories were used as a proxy for socioeconomic
status. Small-scale farmers planted an average of 1.0-1.2 ha to mungbean and
obtained a yield of 306-319 kg/ha. Variable costs (cash) were THB681-925/ha.
Gross mar in (excluding family labor) was THB2,175/ha in 1988 and
THB1,000$ha in 1989 (Table 9). On a per farm basis, small-scale farmers
obtained a gross margin of THB1,822 in 1988 and THB1,219 in 1989. However,
large farms obtained lower yields (169-244 kg/ha) and lower gross margins
(excluding family labor) than small-scale farmers. On average, they obtained
THB3,360-4,830 gross margin (excluding family labor) per farm. Some successful
farmers obtained THB19,280-31,684 of gross margin (excluding family labor)
from their mungbean crop. If family labor costs were included, these farmers
would obtain a gross margin of THB12,980-22,700.
Opinions of farmers
The 100 h~useholds surveyed in 1989 were surveyed again in 1990 to determine
the opinion of the farmers about the performance of mungbean in 1989. The
floods that occurred in the project area for two consecutive years had a negative
effect on the attitudes toward mungbean. The majority (90%) of the households
continued to plant mungbean before rice until 1989. These results were obtained
when DSR regained popularity in 1990. Responses with regard to DSR were
insufficient.
Farmers continued to plant mungbean before rice because it provided
money to support the following rice crop, it increased rice productivity, it
increased household income, and prices were high in some years. The reasons
why farmers abandoned the cultivation of mungbean were: floods, late rains that
led to a conflict in timing of the mungbean harvest and rice transplanting (or
DSR), increased insect problems, and low price in some years.
The responses of farmers concerning the interrelationships of mungbean
before rice and other components in the farming systems are as follows:
Rice productivity. The majority of farmers reported positive effects on rice
productivity. The 13% who reported negative effects attributed these to
delays in transplanting rice.