Thailand - Innovative practice in integrating small farmers into dynamic supply chains: CMK housewives' group in potato chips

Demand for potato has increased dramatically due to the popularity of both potato chips and tourism in Thailand. Nevertheless, they often face shortages of raw material, especially during the rainy season. Since all the processing potatoes of acceptable quality (90 per cent of production) are processed into potato chips by two large firms and distributed to middle and high level markets, it is rather difficult for small farmers to play any significant role in this industrial crop supply chain.

However, the study found a housewives group in the San Sai district of Chiang Mai that has managed to generate additional alternative family income from substandard potatoes and also become a small enterprise participating in the potato supply chain.

Therefore, this paper attempts to illustrate the performance of a community enterprise that has gained inclusion in the potato products supply chain by turning unwanted potatoes into usable material and also to highlight the role of a potato housewives group in providing an alternative for growers market participation.

This publication forms part of the Regoverning Markets project.