Management of Market Demand for Agricultural Products of Local Farmer with Agricultural Product Management Mechanisms of the Lower Central Region to the Network Marketing System, Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the context of the agricultural products in the South
Central Thailand region and purchase demands of consumers toward the agricultural products of the
communities affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and 2) to develop the marketing activities of the
agricultural products affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance the potential purchase demands of the communities’ agricultural products through the fair management system of the university to
sustainably add the economic values to the products of the communities. The research employed a mixed method instrument (qualitative and quantitative research). The findings were demonstrated as demand of raw materials were vacuum-sealed riceberry rice and fresh mango. The riceberry rice had to be chemicalfree and dehydrated directly supplied by the rice-planting farmers or community enterprises, and the mango had to be chemical-free or organic. The consignment entrepreneurs wanted to purchase the agricultural products of community enterprises and OTOP products. Some entrepreneurs did not specify the product standard to offer the sales opportunity to the farmers. However, some entrepreneurs, especially the entrepreneurs with the shops in shopping malls, required the healthy agricultural products certified under the quality standards and packed in good-quality and attractive packaging. The highest factor affecting consumers’ purchase decision of riceberry rice and mango was sales promotion, followed by the distribution place and product price. However, the product itself did not affect the consumers’ purchase decision. The results of the study on the purchase demands and the context of agricultural products in the South Central Thailand region were applied to plan the development of the consumers’ purchase demands toward the agricultural products of the communities. The guideline of the trade agreement between the interested farmers, the university and members in the network was established and implemented under the concrete support of the university. The operations were carried out in three forms:
business to business; consignment; and online selling. After the test of these distribution channels under the university’s mechanism, it was found that the sale volume increased as it significantly promoted the distribution of agricultural products during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, based on the analysis of the purchase demands of the entrepreneurs and the consumers’ opinions, it was suggested that the packaging should be developed to suit the transport conditions and impress the buyers. The manufacturing standard should be highly concerned- free from contamination, registering with Thailand’s FDA and complying with other standards to promote the consignment.