This study was aimed to explore the condition of marketing management of organic rice, to survey consumer behavior and analyze consumer behavior and marketing mix factors affecting demand for buying organic rice, to analyze internal and external environment of marketing management of organic rice, and to propose marketing strategy leading to value-added of organic rice. The study area was located in Luang Nuea Sub-District, Doi Sa Ket District, Chiang Mai Province. Data about marketing management condition, environment, and marketing strategy of organic rice were derived from document analysis, interview, focus groups, and seminar. These data were analyzed by the method of content analysis. Four hundred questionnaires for buyers of organic rice at Lung Nuea Sub-District were also conducted to survey consumer behavior and marketing mix strategy. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze consumer behavior, Pearson chi-square was used to analyze the relationship between consumer behavior and personal factors, and independent-samples T test and ANOVA was used for comparison analysis between consumer behavior and marketing mix factors.
The result indicated four features of organic rice market: 1) producer or entrepreneur market which served the relationship between consumers and producers, 2) consumer market which served the relationship between sellers and buyers, 3) middle market which served the relationship between producers and mediators, and 4) learning market which served the relationship between producers and customers who requires learning about organic rice production. In addition, the marketing factors are conducted by: 1) products which included production inputs, organic paddy, organic rice, and product processing, 2) places which were at farmer’s house, local market fair, market outside community, organic network market in Chiang Mai, trade show, direct sell, online, phone call, purchase unit of government and private sectors, 3) prices which were determined by production cost, market price, customers, products, rice heredity, sales features, packages, and shipping, and 4) promotion which included face to face selling, providing business cards, labelling on products, social media, learning activities, offering free and extra products, and storytelling about organic farming.The analysis of consumer behavior indicated that the maximum frequency of buying organic rice was once a month, the maximum objective of buying organic rice was to eat, the maximum frequency of consuming organic rice was 2-6 days each, the maximum reason for consuming organic rice was to try, the maximum place to buy organic rice was local market fair, the maximum channel to know sellers and places for buying organic rice was friends, the maximum volume of buying organic rice was 1-5 kilograms, the maximum features of buying organic rice is measuring a kilogram with buyers, the maximum price of buying organic rice was more than 35 baht per kilograms, and the average price of willingness to pay for organic rice was 45.56 baht per kilograms. In addition, the total average opinions of marketing mix factors was high and product is the maximum average. The lower averages are price, place, and promotion, respectively.
The analysis of the relationship between consumer behavior and personal factors at 0.05 significant level 0.05 indicated that the frequency of buying organic rice depended upon residence, sex, age, education, marital status, occupation, and income. The frequency of consuming organic rice depended upon age, education, marital status, occupation, and income. The volume of buying organic rice depended upon age and income. The features of buying organic rice depended upon residence, age, education, marital status, occupation and income. The price of buying organic rice depended upon residence, age, education, marital status, and income.
The comparison analysis of personal factors and the opinions of marketing mix factors affecting demand for buying organic rice at significant level 0.05 indicated that the different residence, age, education, marital status, occupation and income had different opinion levels towards marketing mix factors. However, the different sex had not different opinion levels towards marketing mix factors. In addition, the comparison analysis of consumer behavior and the opinions of marketing mix factors affecting demand for buying organic rice indicated that the different frequency of buying organic rice, frequency of consuming organic rice, feature of buying have different opinion levels towards marketing mix factors. However, the different volume of buying organic rice, and price of organic rice had not different opinion levels towards marketing mix factors.The analysis of environment of marketing indicated that the strengths included being learning center, the varieties of organic rice, having regular customers, having local wisdoms about product processing, having various learner groups, and having local market. In contrast, the weakness were non-concrete group management, inadequate knowledge and skill to add value of organic rice, communication and public relations, less volume of organic rice, and higher price than common rice. However, the opportunities included encouragement of government organizations, urbanization and tourisms, trend of health lover, and market share. The threats were the expansion of producer and consumer networks, the popularity of common rice rather than organic rice, and climate change affection the yield of organic rice.
Therefore, the marketing strategy leading to value-added of organic rice should be:
1) aggressive strategy – communication and public relations, developing learning center, educating about value-added of organic rice, promoting market in consistence with target groups, and learning about product processing,
2) defensive strategy – studying laws, regulations and conditions relating to marketing, improving learning activities, adapting to climate change, connecting social networks for learners, and maintaining local market,
3) preventive strategy – managing social networks inside district, learning organic rice production to cope with climate change, strengthening organic rice group, stimulating the popularity of organic rice, and forming various prices,
4) conservative strategy – developing group management, connecting with government organizations to encourage farmers about knowledge, technology and resource, surveying and analyzing customers, promoting organic rice production in community, and improving public relations and promotion.