Influence of marketing mix elements on the intention of sugarcane farmers in Thailand to use commercial tailor-made fertiliser

Abstract

Tailor-made fertiliser (TMF) is a new practice in Thailand that aims to achieve a more efficient use of a fertiliser on cultivated soil. This study attempts to determine farmers' attitudes toward a marketing mix of TMF and to investigate factors influencing the farmers' intention to use TMF in accordance with the marketing mix strategy. A survey was conducted among 387 sugar cane farmers who were interviewed at the Thamaka sugar refinery, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. The results indicate that farmers' attitude toward the retailer available over a wide area has the biggest influence on their intention to use TMF. This is followed by their attitude toward stability of TMF product quality, and by whether price is more competitive than other chemical fertiliser.