Impacts of Chinese Middle Man (Lhong) on Longan Farmers in Transition: A Case Study of Sripradu Village, Maepang Sub-district, Phrao District, Chiangmai Province

Abstract

This study aims to detect impacts of Chinese middle men on longan farmers in Sripradu village, Maepang sub-district, Prao district, Chiangmai province. This qualitative research collects data by in-dept interviewing 10 of the longan farmers and analyzes data with descriptive analysis.  Results of the study reveal that the Chinese middle men have affected the longan farmers in 2 salient ways. The first impact includes; the impacts on the longan farmers who practiced wholesale selling to the Chinese middle men or the Chinese middle men’s representatives. Positive impacts on the farmers are that the farmers received deposits thus they could spend money and reduced labor hiring. Negative impacts include the wholesale price could be lower than market prices at the time when the longan fruits were sold. The Chinese middle men harvested the fruits later than its proper schedule. Many longan species became extinct and risks of longan grounds keeping. The second impact happens to the farmers who sold their longan to the Chinese middle men. Positive impacts are ways that the farmers earned cash, the price might be higher than the wholesale price at the garden, and the farmers could choose the satisfying Chinese middle men. Some negative impacts on this selling method are the longan price could be fluctuate while the farmers could not keep the fruits for sell on the next days or wait until the longan price increased. The farmers burdened harvesting labor wages and logistics, and some longan species were extinct.