ปัญหาการผลิตและการจำหน่วยของกระสอบระหว่าง พ.ศ. 2512-2516 / นภาพร ณ เชียงใหม่ = Problems in the production and distribution of gunny bags between B.E. 2512 - 2516 / Napaporn Na Chiangmai
Thailand is an agricultural country which makes use of a lot of gunny bags. They are used as containers mainly for rice, maize, castor and other oil seeds, tapioca chip and meal and sugar. Gunny bags industry has acquired an important position in the economy of Thailand because it is purely relative to Agriculture. Jute and Kenaf required for production are grown in large quantities especially kenaf, in Thailand. The industry is in medium size as well as labour intensive (providing employment for about 15,000 people). The gunny bags industry provides import substitution as well as some export after satisfying domestic need. At present, the annual requirement of gunny bags for domestic use is about 50 million bags. The estimated production in 2517 was about 130 million bags, which means that part of the production would be for export. In order to work out an appropriate policy and promote investment for gunny bags industry, it is necessary to study the problems of the production and distribution of gunny bags between B.E. 2512 – 2516. The study will provide us with information on the production process, channel of distribution, pricing policy, quantity required for domestic use, marketing situation both internal and external, the relative cost per unit and selling price, comparison of the cost of production between Thai kenaf mills and jute mills in India and Bangladesh, and the serious problems of gunny bags industry which Thailand has to face. Data for the study are collected from various available documents and by visiting and interviewing some gunny bags plants, as well as some government personnel and entrepreneurs. The study shows that the gunny bags industry obtains a moderate rate of profit from investment. This rate would no doubt increase if methods of management and quality control, etc. are improved. Production cost in Thailand, India and Bangladesh are comparable. It can be seen that the cost of production in Bangladesh is higher than in Thailand and India, but the operating cost exclusive of labour wages is higher in Thailand than in India and Bangladesh. This is so because of the large scale operation, which tends to reduce the operation cost. High production cost is a major serious problem. The improvement of low capacity utilization is an important factor in cost reduction. Scarcity of skilled labour, lack of expertise, lack of research and analysis as well as lack of the world market information are problems which Thailand has to face in the gunny bags industry, while the competition of synthetic substitutes and bulk handing have resulted in the decline on demand of gunny bags in the world market. There are a number of possible ways to solve the serious problems of gunny bags industry in Thailand. The important stop is for the Government to emphasis on improving the industry for export earnings. The gunny bags mills must also improve their method of production and increase its efficiency. To increase efficiency would result in lowering of the unit cost of production. Operating at a level as close to full capacity as possible, avoiding idle time, improving efficiency both of men and machines, elaborate monthly cost reporting system and research on improvement of its manufacturing process would produce several ways of cost-saving. Improving method of gunny bags distribution by making direct contact with buyers overseas is also important. The Thai Jute Association should be held responsible as the centre of information on the world market.