Abstract

This research was a community-based research (CBR) project aimed 1) To study the general condition of watermelon planting in the community. 2) To study the cost and the return on sales of watermelon of the watermelon growers in the community. and 3) To study guidelines to increase productivity among watermelon growers in the community. Target groups included 21 watermelon growers in the community of Baan Khokmuang, Chorakhemak Sub-District, Prakhon Chai District, Buriram. The tools used for data collection included in-depth interviews, group discussion, observation, and analysis of data by triangulation techniques.

The research results were found that 1) The general condition of the community’s watermelon cultivation, was planting once a year during the period from January to March, the total duration of planting was about 60 – 70 days, preferably planted in the dry season and the problem of community watermelon cultivation, including acid soil, unable to replant in the same area, insufficient water supply, pest problems such as red mites, mealybugs, brown planthoppers and thrips, etc. 2) The community of watermelon growers had an area of 301.27 farms for watermelon cultivation with the cost of cultivating watermelon of community watermelon growers consisted of the raw material cost of 252,680 baht, the average cost was 838.71 baht per farm, the labor cost of 144,805 baht, the average cost was 480.65 baht per farm, the production costs of 549,905 baht, the average cost was 1,825.29 baht per farm, with a total cost of 947,390 baht, the average cost of cultivating watermelon was 3,144.65 baht per farm. There was a return from the sale of watermelon total amount was 1,541,710 baht, representing an average return of 5,117.37 baht per farm, and 3) guidelines for increasing the yield of watermelon growers are as follows: 3.1) reducing cost of watermelon cultivation 3.2) growers need to pay attention from seed selection to watermelon harvesting process 3.3) using folk wisdom and 3.4) encouragement and development of cultivation knowledge of agriculturists.