Abstract:
The objectives of the thesis are to study and appraise the effectiveness, problems, and obstacles of the logistics cost management; and to suggest the ways for more effective logistics management to palm farmers in Surat Thani.
The study and appraisal of the logistics management effectiveness of oil palm plantations revealed two main logistics activities: 1) harvesting and moving produces to the gathering point, and 2) transporting the produces to selling places, such as the middle man shop, the cooperative, and the palm oil refinery. The labor force form both activities can be divided into two sources: self-employed labor, and the hired specialized labors. The self-employed labors or the labors from the family can yield the harvest of 185.3 Kilograms per hour per person. The specialized labors can make 207.3 Kilograms per hour per person. Most of the farmers transport their produces to the selling point in a short distance, within 15 Kilometers. For vehicles used to transport the produces, 80.5% are one-ton pick-up truck, 13.4% are agricultural truck and pushcart, while 6.1% are six-wheels truck. The farmers with less than 4 acres of land prefer the one-ton pick-up truck and agricultural truck as a means of transportation. Those who have more than 4 acres prefer six-wheels truck. For distribution, 48.8% of them sell to the middle man, 45.1% of them sell to the palm oil refinery, and 6.1% of them sell to the cooperation.
From the logistics cost management study, the total logistics cost is 0.705 Baht per Kilogram or 16.99% of the average palm produces price (4.15 Baht per Kilogram). The logistics cost is composed of the harvesting and moving cost, which is 0.307 Baht per Kilogram in average, and the transporting cost, which is 0.398 Baht per Kilogram in average. The harvesting and moving cost tends to be reduced if the plantation area is bigger. For the transporting cost, the one-ton pick-up truck is effective for the plantation area of less than 4 acres, whereas the six-wheels truck is effective for the plantation area of more than 4 acres.
To improve the logistics management, it is suggested that the farmers group or cooperate to establish the harvesting and selling center to gather transport produces of members in order to reduce the logistic cost and gain the bargaining power with buyers.
Furthermore, the farmers, who harvest by themselves, should improve their harvesting skill so that they can reduce the harvesting time, which will result in reducing the logistics cost.
WALAILAK UNIVERSITY. CENTER FOR LIBRARY RESOURCES AND EDUCATIONAL MEDIA