Philippine E-Journals

Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting the Market Behavior of Coconut Farmers in Central Philippines

Ernesto Go Yap

Discipline: Marketing

 

Abstract:

In a competitive market, both suppliers and buyers behave with the aim of obtaining the most concession from the other. There are situations wherein one party benefits more than the other, resulting in unfavorable outcomes for the latter. The study explored the socio-cultural factors that affect the market behavior of coconut farmers, in an attempt to rationalize why coconut farmers are poor. This study is conducted in the Municipality of Bacong, Negros Oriental in the central part of the Philippines. Themes in the study included decision-making, division of labor, urban migration, and relations with other stakeholders as well as the impact to the local ecology. This study was conducted using qualitative research techniques that included key informant interview, participant observation, and focus group discussion. The findings show that the productive capacity of coconut farmers are limited, if not decreasing and are more influenced by the socio-cultural factors that govern the farmers’ life situations, than by the market prices of coconut meat. The farmers are price takers of the coconut meat they produce and sold. Productivity and income of small coconut farmers are expected to deteriorate together with vast agricultural lands becoming idle and barren, unless government interventions are enhanced, and young professionals are encouraged to return to the farms.