Abstract:
The main object of this study is to understand factors significantly relating to the
community fruit business development process. The study analysed input factors,
processes, results, the community fruit business environment, and evaluated the potential
of the community fruit business in Tambon Klong Chinda, Sampran, Nakhon Pathom
Province. Qualitative research on methodology and documentation was used in data
collection.
Results revealed that the significant factors concerning the potential of Tambon
Klong Chinda community fruit business can be classified under four headings: 1)
Production 2) Process 3) Output and 4) Environment system factors. Analysis of these
factors reveals a strong natural resource-based including good soil and water and a wide
variety of products, the community’s intellectual knowledge, family attachment to nature
and the culture of helping each other are also important features for potential business.
The tradition of sharing and collecting funds among residents, which is known as Share
Tojeen is also remarkable but there may be some reduction of its popularity in the future
because the output and environmental system factors changes.
The community adaptations include the learning process, group integration, and a
reliance on informal leaders in organizing the community structure. Plantation in Klong
Chinda has started to change from a monocultural system to a mixed plantation system.
Other significant factors are cost reduction from making fertilizers for the community, the
search for direct markets, and the gathering of knowledge from sectors outside the
community.